









* 

























RELATIVE TO 


THE ROUTE, COST AN BEARINGS 


A RAILWAY FROM COVINGTON TO THE HEAD OF & E AM BOA’ 
NAVIGATION ON THE KANAWHA RIVER: 



AND RELATIVE ALSO TO 




THE DIFFICULTIES OF A CONJOINT LOCATIOr 

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A CANAL AND RAILWAY BETWEEN THE MOUTH OF JACKSON’S 
AND THE MOUTH OF GREENBRIER RIVER, ALONG THE CONTEMPLA' 
LINE OF THE JAMES RIVER AND KANAWHA IMPROVEMENT ; 


ADDRESSED TO 


WALTER GWYNN, Esq., Chief Engineer, 


BY 


JOSEPH C. CABELL, First President op the Company. 

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PREFACE. 


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la the month of January 1849, whilst the bill proposing to authorize a railway on 
state account from the town of Covington to the head of steamboat navigation on the 
Kanawha river, was depending in the house of delegates, the following notes were 
prepared at the particular request of Walter Gwynn, Esq., chief engineer of the 
James river and Kanawha company, with whom I had previously conversed on the 
subject. At the time of writing, these notes were not designed to be published, or 
to be laid before the stockholders. They were rapid sketches, drawn and sent off in 
successive sheets by the mail, being intended altogether as a private and friendly 
communication of such information as I could give on the important questions to 
which they refer. In the course of the last two years, the manuscript has been read 
by a small circle of enlightened individuals at the seat of government, consisting 
chiefly of intimate friends of the writer, heartily concurring in the views and opin- 
ic s therein expressed. But in consequence of an application made at the instance 
of some of these friends by Major Gwynn, the gentleman to whom this manuscript 
\ "S originally addressed, I recently consented to place it at their disposal, to be 
nmunicated or withheld at the late adjourned meeting of the company as they 
might deem most expedient and proper. The result is, that it was the pleasure of 
these friends to cause it to be presented to the meeting on the 30th of January, and, 
of the stockholders, then assembled, to order it to be printed for the use of the com¬ 
pany. 


JOSEPH C. CABELL, 


February 10th, 1851, 


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NOTES 


RELATIVE TO 

THE PROPOSED RAILROAD 

FROM COVINGTON TO THE HEAD OF STEAMBOAT 
NAVIGATION ON THE KANAWHA RIVER. 


This is a project of vast bearings, and the legislature should look 
well to the liabilities into which it is invited to enter. 

Among these liabilities that of the probable cost of the enterprize 
stands prominently in the foreground. 

Judging from the title of the bill, this scheme presents itself under 
an aspect of uncertainty as to the extent of the line of railroad to be 
executed. What is the head of steamboat navigation on the Kanawha 
river ? Is it the present or future head of steamboat navigation ? Is 
it the town of Charleston, up to which small steamboats now ascend, 
or is it Loup creek shoals, about miles below the Great falls, up 
to which another bill, now before the legislature, proposes to make 
such an improvement of the river as to bring up to that point steam¬ 
boats of a larger class ? 

To assist in forming an approximate estimate of the cost of this en¬ 
terprize, which the state is invited to assume and conduct as a state 
work, without any aid from private subscription, it is expedient, first, 
to regard the western terminus of the road as fixed at Loup creek 
shoals ; and afterwards to consider the road under a more enlarged 
view as to limits. 

The cost of a railroad from Covington to Loup creek shoals, would 
depend mainly upon three things: 

I. The length and character of the route selected. 

II. The extent to which the location of the road may interfere 

with the location of the line of the James river and Ka¬ 
nawha improvement. 

III. The style and cost of the railway. 



6 


I. The length and character of the route. 

This is, fortunately, a subject upon which we are not dependent, as 
is often the fact, upon conjecture and speculation. The legislature 
has within its reach a large mass of accurate and well authentica¬ 
ted information, provided by an agency, in the direction of which it 
has through its own immediate officers, a leading and highly influen¬ 
tial share. This information is to be found in the offices of the Board 
of public works and of the James river and Kanawha company, and 
is there embodied in the reports and charts relative to surveys made 
for the company here mentioned, in the year 1838. 

It was in the year 1838, that this company, then looking to a rail¬ 
road portage across the mountains, as a part of its line of improve¬ 
ment, caused the whole region between Covington and the Great falls, 
to be most elaborately searched, and a close and diligent examina¬ 
tion to be made of all the most promising routes for a railway be¬ 
tween those points. The surveys and examinations were conduc¬ 
ted by various parties in the field, operating under the superintendence 
of Charles Ellet, chief engineer, and Benjamin Wright, consulting en¬ 
gineer of the company. 

The following extract from Mr. Ellet’s report, presents a statement 
and comparison of the various lines surveyed :—(See Report of the J. 
R. and K. Co., 1st vol., page 433-436.) 

“ There have been surveyed during the season various routes from 
the waters of Jackson’s to those of New river, for the purpose of es¬ 
tablishing the line of the railroad. There is a party still in the field, 
engaged in the examination of one by the way of Meadow and Gau- 
ley rivers to the Kanawha. 

As far as the operations have been conducted on this line, there is 
a prospect that it may prove to be worthy of further consideration. 
But as it is impracticable to obtawuthe information necessary for a de¬ 
cision, until the line is connected with that which has already been 
surveyed down New river, it will be necessary for me to report on the 
best of those already examined, and leave the comparison between 
the selected route and the one yet incomplete, to be appended to this 
communication after the surveys are closed. 

Of the lines examined between Dunlap’s creek and New river, the 

1st. Was by the way of Dunlap’s creek, Fork run, Howard’s 
creek and Greenbrier river to New river ; the 

2d. By Dunlap’s creek, Back creek, Second creek and Greenbrier to 
New river; the 

3d. By Dunlap’s creek, Back creek, Second creek, Indian creek and 
New river to the mouth of Greenbrier; and 

4th. By Dunlap’s creek, Sweet springs, Second creek, Indian creek 
and New river to the mouth of Greenbrier. 

Levels were also run from Jackson’s river up to the summit between 
Pott’s creek and Stoney creek; from the mouth of Muddy creek on 
Greenbrier river up to Otter creek, one of the sources of Meadow ri¬ 
ver; from the mouth of Ogley’s creek up to the pass of the Alle- 


7 


ghany, between Callaghan’s and the White sulphur ; and, finally up4* 
the Great and Little Ogley’s creek to the head of Anthony’s creek ; 
by the latter stream to Greenbrier river, and thence by the way of 
Spring creek, Culbertson’s creek, Sinking creek &c. to Otter creek, a 
branch of Meadow\ river. It is in this section of the country that a 
party under Mr. William G. Waller is now engaged. 

In the comparison which I am about to exhibit of these several 
lines, no notice will be taken of any but the four first—the residue, 
with the exception of the Gauley route, of which the merit is yet 
undetermined, being regarded as quite unworthy of further considera¬ 
tion. 

Of those which I propose to compare, I prefer the first, by the way 
of Dunlap’s creek, Fork run, Howard’s creek, Greenbrier and New ri¬ 
ver. 

The reasons for this preference are, generally, that it is the shortest, 
presents the lowest summit and the lightest grades: That the cost of 
its construction will not be greater, and its curvatures less objectiona¬ 
ble than those of either of the others. 

To reduce these facts to positive and appreciable quantities, we will 
compare the routes with respect to distances, heights and grades. 

The distance by the way of line 

No. 1, from Covington to the mouth of Greenbrier, is 69^%^ miles, 

2, “ “ “ 80-nr<r “ 

3, “ “ “ SOrffr “ 

4, “ “ “ 81 “ 


The last line was not carried all the way through ; and the distance 
here given is not the result of actual measurement from one end of 
it to the other. More than 77 miles of its length was, however, care¬ 
fully surveyed, and the three miles requisite for its completion is all 
that is conjectural. 

The distances above stated represent the lengths of the lines as they 
would be constructed. They are given in the supposition that the 
tunnels recommended be executed on the Greenbrier route , and that the 
same mode of diminishing the distance be resorted to, where requisite, 
on the others. 

If we suppose all the lines to be constructed without tunnels, ex¬ 
cepting at their respective summits, we shall have for the length of 
line 

No. 1, from Covington to the mouth of Greenbrier, 77-j^ro miles, 

2 a ii it CQ , 4 . i£ 

) oo 100 

Q a a u QQ.lI. u 

o, °°ioo 

4, “ “ “ 84 “ 

From which it appears that line No. 1 would, in this case, be 5f 
miles shorter than the shortest of the three others ; and that when they 
are all reduced to what is deemed their proper length, the length of 
that line would be 11£ miles less than that of either of the others. 

In the comparison of their merits in respect to distance, it will be 
proper to take for the difference 5f miles, since a part of the value of 


8 


distance saved by the tunnels is considered in the argument by 
which the propriety of their construction is sustained. 

The value of 5§ miles of distance, I consider equivalent to the capi¬ 
tal that would produce an interest of $ 14,500 per annum, [art. 13,] 
having regard only to the increase of revenue, ant^ neglecting entirely 
the value of time and the augmentation of the trade. This capital, 
at six per cent, will be $> 241,666. 

Were the lines equally favourable in all other respects, I should re¬ 
gard this difference of distance as decisive of the question of a selec¬ 
tion. 

But if there be any appreciable difference in the cost of construc¬ 
tion, that difference would also be in favour of the Greenbrier route ; 
and the line possesses, in addition, the advantage of being susceptible 
of improvement, by the construction of the tunnels recommended. 

To compare these routes in other respects, we have for the eleva¬ 
tion of the gap on the Alleghany, in 

No. 1, 2325 feet above tide, 

2, 2546 “ 

3, 2546 “ 

4, 2617 “ 


From which it appears that the actual elevation of the mountain by 
the way of Fork run and Greenbrier river is 221 feet lower than the 
lowest pass by either of the other routes. 

But there will be a tunnel needed at the Alleghany by any route 
we may select ; and the levels of the road at the highest points, will 
be, for 

No. 1, - - - 1987 feet above tide, 

2, 2472 “ 

3, 2472 “ 


No particular grade has been drawn for the Sweet springs route, it 
having been found that the line by Back creek to Second creek was 
superior to it in every aspect of the comparison. 

In the comparison of the line preferred, with those by the way of 
Second creek and Indian creek, which have a common summit, it ap¬ 
pears that the highest point on the former is 485 feet lower than the 
highest elevation on the others. 

The highest grade ascending to the west on the line No. 1, will be 
75 feet per mile, and its length less than 4| miles. On either of the 
others there will be a corresponding grade of 80 feet per mile, for a dis¬ 
tance of 4^- miles; besides other grades varying from 40 to 70 feet for 
a distance of six miles. 

The highest grade ascending to the east, on line No. 1, is 40 feet 
per mile, and its length a fraction less than three miles. 

On the Second creek route or No. 2, there will be a grade ascend¬ 
ing in the same direction 70 feet per mile, for a distance of three 
miles ; and on No. 3, nearly ten miles, averaging 70 feet per mile. 

It is unnecessary to reduce these differences to their specific values 
in dollars, since, even if the choice were to turn on the question of 
cost alone, the route proposed would receive the preference. 


9 


In consideration of these facts, I recommend the route designated as 
No. 1, and shall report on the results of the survey in reference to it,” 
as though it were regarded as the adopted line.” 

It appears from the preceding extract from Mr. Ellet’s report, that 
the whole region between Covington and Loup Creek shoals under¬ 
went a most elaborate examination, every pass in the mountains pre¬ 
senting the least promise of success being included in the field of ob¬ 
servation. Among the various routes examined, there are no less than 
seven leading across the Alleghany by six different passes over the 
mountain. Of these seven routes, two are decisively condemned by 
Mr. Ellet,, as being unworthy to be brought into comparison with the 
others ; namely, the route from Jackson’s river up to the summit be¬ 
tween Pottfs creek and Stony creek, and that from the mouth of Og- 
ley’s creek up to the pass in the Alleghany, between Callaghan’s and 
the White Sulphur. And there is one which is treated as of a some¬ 
what doubtful character, the examination not being complete at the 
time the report was written. 

This is the route up the Great and Little Ogley’s creek to the head of 
Anthony’s creek; by the latter stream to Greenbrier river; thence by 
the way of Spring creek, Culbertson’s creek, Sinking creek, &c., to 
Otter creek, a branch of Meadow\ river, and thence by the way of 
Meadow and Gauley rivers to the mouth of Gauley. 

It should here be remarked, however, that upon further examina¬ 
tion, the latter route also was decidedly disapproved by the engineer. 
The pass across the Alleghany between the head of Ogley’s creek and 
Anthony’s creek, it is distinctly understood, proved to be decidedly in¬ 
ferior to those farther south, and the route down Gauley river, at the 
other extremity of the line, was ascertained, on account of the abrupt¬ 
ness of its curves and the steepness of its grades, to be altogether in¬ 
admissible in the location of the railroad. 

It may be proper also to remark that the appearance of the latter 
route among the three railroad routes laid down on the map prepared 
and published along with the fourth annual report of the company, to 
which the report of the engineer is attached, furnishes, in point of 
fact, no satisfactory evidence that it was approved, or considered as 
seriously contesting the superior claims of the more southern routes. 
It is distinctly understood, that as there was no necessity to decide the 
question of preference at that time, and as it was desirable for various 
reasons, to keep the question suspended, until such necessity should 
arise, the board of directors decided in the preparation of the map, to 
have three lines—a northern, a middle and a southern line—laid down, 
and to withhold until the time of action should arrive, the disclosure 
of the opinion of the board as to which of the three should be selec¬ 
ted. In illustration of the preceding remarks, the following extract 
from the report of the then president of the company, may be not in- 
appropriately added to the preceding extract from the engineer’s report, 
[2d vol., page 339.] 

“Of the various routes surveyed for the railroad, there are three 
which come under the designation of secondary, viz: the lines upon 
Pottfs, Second and Muddy creeks; and there are three others, which 
2 


10 


may be properly denominated primary, viz: the southern, middle and 
northern lines, leading from Covington to the Great Falls; the first 
crossing the Alleghany mountain at the head of Dunlap’s creek, at a 
pass near the Sweet springs, and proceeding thence by the way of In¬ 
dian creek, in Monroe county, to New river; the second crossing at the 
head of Fork run, and continuing thence down the valleys of How¬ 
ard’s creek and Greenbrier river, to New river; and the third crossing 
at the head of Big Ogley’s creek over to Anthony’s creek, and passing 
thence over to Meadow river, and down Meadow river to Gauley and 
down Gauley river to the Kanawha. 

The three secondary lines are at once fully condemned by the facts 
disclosed upon grounds of objection as to elevation, curvature or 
grades. 

Of the three primary routes, the middle and the southern, it is per¬ 
fectly ascertained, may be passed by locomotives and their trains, with¬ 
out the use of stationary power; and there seems to be no ground to 
doubt, as far as the survey has progressed , that the same advantage 
may be claimed for the northern route also. There will, however, be 
a tunnel through the Alleghany mountain, of greater or less extent, 
upon each of the three routes. . 

The middle or the Greenbrier rofffe has been selected as the basis of 
the estimates, and it is prominently exhibited to illustrate the relative 
advantages of our line of improvement. It is for these purposes and 
to this extent only that it is now presented as an adopted route; but as 
the survey of the northern route is still incomplete, and as several 
years may elapse before the construction of the road will commence, 
the board of directors, with the view of profiting of the lights of in¬ 
tervening experience, have decided to withhold for the present a defi¬ 
nitive choice .” 

But, although the board of directors of the company thus concurred 
with their engineer in awaiting the results of the examination on the 
northern line, which was still in progress, when the president sent in 
his report, it is well ascertained that when these results finally came 
in, the board unanimously agreed with the engineer, in the propriety 
of including it in the class of inadmissible and rejected routes. Inde¬ 
pendently of the evidence to be obtained from the office of the com¬ 
pany upon this subject, how also, is it possible to explain the decided 
preference which the board has ever since evinced in favour of the 
middle route? A bare inspection of the map will shew a very stri¬ 
king difference of distance in favour of the northern route, and that it 
would turn the tremendous difficulties in the valley of New river, and 
especially in the 20 miles of cliffs between Bowyer’s ferry and the 
mouth of Gauley. In the preceding passage in the engineer’s report, 
he states that “ were the lines equally favourable in all other respects, 

I should regard this difference of distance [5§ miles] as decisive of the 
question of a selection.” And it may well be imagined that the hearts 
of the directors would have leapt with joy at the prospect of a line 
down Gauley coming recommended by a considerable shortening of 
the line, as well as by an avoidance of some of the most formidable 
difficulties of the enterprize. v 


11 


Having shewn that the Gauley route, as finally reported, fell into 
the class of condemned routes, it is now proper to proceed to Mr. El-’ 
let’s comparative view of the remaining four routes from Covington to 
Loup Creek shoals, which he deemed worthy of being brought into 
comparison. Although the board of directors deemed it proper to 
withhold till a future day, the expression of any opinion in favour of 
the middle route, except to the limited extent and for the object ex¬ 
plained in the president’s report, as above quoted, the engineer did not 
hesitate, as his report shews, to express his own preference of that 
route, and to assign his reasons for doing'so. He compared them care¬ 
fully under the important aspects of distance, elevation above tide, 
grades and curves, and awarded a decided superiority to the route by 
the way of Fork run and Howard’s creek, or the middle route laid 
down on the map. “ The reasons for this preference,” says Mr. Ellet, 
“are, generally, that it is the shortest, presents the lowest summit and 
the lightest grades. That the cost of its construction will not be 
greater, and its curvatures less objectionable than those of either of the 
others.” And after this critical examination of the differences between 
the middle route and the other three routes crossing the mountain 
south of it, at the two passes, near % .the Sweet springs, he proceeds to 
say: “ It is unnecessary to reduce these differences to their specific 
values in dollars— since even if the choice were to turn on the question 
of cost alone, the route proposed would receive the preference. In con¬ 
sideration of these facts, I recommend the route designated as No. 1,” 
[the middle route] “and shall report on the results of the survey in 
reference to it, as though it were regarded as the adopted route.” 

The distance from Covington to Loup creek shoals, by the middle 
route, if 'shortened by the introduction of various tunnels, as proposed 
in the plan of the engineer, would be 138i a 0 - miles. Without these 
shortenings, the length of the railroad would be 150 miles. 

For the purpose of shewing the characters of the route so decidedly 
preferred to all others for this railroad between Covington and the 
Great falls, rapid sketches are furnished in the annexed extract from 
the detailed description of the line, which is embodied in the report of 
the survey by the chief engineer. Previous, however, to the intro¬ 
duction of these extracts, it may not be amiss to advert briefly to the 
former plans and estimates of the company. 

The company had been induced to believe when their charter was 
consummated in the year 1835, that a double track railroad, for travel 
and freight, for the route in question, could be made for $20,000 per 
mile, making for the 150 miles, an aggregate of $3,000,000; and it 
formed uniformly a regular part of the estimates laid before the legis¬ 
lature for three years previous to the organization of the company. 
In justice to those who made this estimate^ it is proper to bear in mind 
that they had high authority to sustain it, in the early reports and es¬ 
timates of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. By reference to the early 
reports of that company, it may be seen that this was their first esti¬ 
mate of the cost of their road of double track all the way from Balti¬ 
more to the Ohio; and that even after their line had been constructed 
as far to the west as the Point of Rocks, the president, in his annual 


12 


report, triumphantly asserted that the cost of the work out to that 
point had fallen within the first estimate of $20,000 per mile, and 
that experience had demonstrated that the line could be carried forward 
at that rate. Such views were not limited to these two companies: 
they prevailed very widely throughout the country at that early pe¬ 
riod when railways were in their infancy on this side of the Atlantic. 

Extxacts from Mr. Ellens description of the line. 

£f Section I. From the bridge across Jackson’s river at Covington to 
the beginning of the 75 feet grade on Dunlap's creek , miles. 

On leaving Covington , the line will sweep across the river , so that 
the bridge will form a part of its curve, and occupy at first the north 
bank of Dunlap's creek. The course of this stream is very serpentine , 
and its inflections generally abrupt. It is frequently bounded on one 
side or the other by vertical cliffs of rock, though these may generally 
be avoided in the location. 

The stream is in many places crossed by the line, for the purpose 
of improving its direction , a circumstance which explains the cause of 
the high sum allowed for viaducts in the estimate. 

To avoid some of the bends in the stream , and to reduce the length 
of the line , a grade of 50 feet per mile is encountered in the third 
mile, and a tunnel 990 feet long below the mouth of Ogley's creek. 

The work will be exposed in many places on this section to the 
force of Dunlap's creek in times of freshets, a circumstance which will 
render necessary some additional expense for its protection. 

There will be required in this section one tunnel 330 yards in length, 
14 viaducts , several drains , 2 grades of 50 feet, and others varying 
from 20 to 38 feet per mile. 

Section II. From the beginning of the 75 feet grade east of the 
Alleghany, to the end of the 33 feet grade near the White Sulphur 
springs, 10Tiro miles. 

This section embraces the most serious difficulties on the line of the 
railroad, the tunnel and high grades encountered in the passage of the 
Alleghany. 

The route of the road leaves the valley of Dunlap's creek, a short 
distance beyond the eastern end of the grade of 75 feet, at the mouth 
of Fork run, and crossing the branch near its mouth on an elevated 
embankment, is laid on the side of the mountain bounding the creek on 
the south. The bed of Fork run rises more rapidly than the grade of 
the road, so that the two plains intersect about 3 miles above the valley 
of Dunlap's creek. With the exception of two points, where the run 
receives very small tributaries , the hill in the first two miles is suffi¬ 
ciently uniform to permit the line to be conveniently adapted to its 
slope. The last mile of this heavy grade , or the point nearest the 
tunnel, is much more rugged and broken. Frequent crossing from 
one side of the valley to the other becomes necessary, and in the part 
immediately adjacent to the tunnel a considerable excavation in rock, 
where some embarrassment vnll be experienced from the water in the 
run. The latter circumstance will not be important if the excavation 


13 


happen to be completed in the summer season, though at any other pe¬ 
riod the water will be a source of great annoyance. 

The mountain will be pierced by a tunnel commencing at the wes¬ 
tern end of the 75 feet grade, of which the inclination ascending to 
the west is 26^ feet per mile. The length of the tunnel is 2jVo miles. 
Its highest point, which is at its western end, is 338 feet below the 
highest point in the gap of the mountain. 

The material will consist chiefly of slate and slaty sandstone. The 
aggregate estimate for the construction of the tunnel is $ 348,480. 

The difficulties of the section, and the great difficulty of the line, 
consist of a grade ascending to the west at 75 feet per mile, for a 
distance of 4yg- miles, a tunnel through the mountain 12 feet wide 
and 17 feet high and Z-fffa miles in length, and a grade of 40 feet 
per mile, descending to the west for a distance of 2^fo miles. 

There are in this section 4 viaducts, three of which are over Day 
creek, and one over Dunlap' 1 s creek, 5 culverts, 3 of which will permit the 
passage of the Sweet springs and White Sulphur road through the 
embankment of the railroad; several deep cuts in rock, and 3 tun¬ 
nels, of which the longest passes through the Alleghany and is 4,356 
yards in length, and the two others through points of slate ridges hav¬ 
ing an aggregate length of 2 75 yards. 

Section III. From the White Sulpur springs to the mouth of 
Greenbrier, 44^,% miles. 

In passing down Howard's creek the line is carried several times 
across that stream for the purpose of improving its direction or of oc¬ 
cupying more favourable ground for its construction. At the mouth of 
the creek a considerable cut in rock is encoun tered, to avoid following an 
abrupt bend of the stream, and a level is adopted which raises the sur¬ 
face of the road 43 feet above the Greenbrier river. 

Though this arrangement will conduce to considerable expense, I 
deem it justified by the advantages of keeping the grade within the 
maximum of 20 feet, obtaining relief from the curves that would be 
necessary if present economy were the primary object, and reducing 
the length of the road. 

The line crosses Greenbrier river above the site of the present bridge 
and occupies the west bank of the stream to its confluence ivith New 
river . 

The value of the considerations in favour of reducing as much as 
possible the length of the line, has prompted me to recommend the 
construction of a tunnel below the mouth of Second creek, and another 
at the Great bend of Greenbrier near its entrance into New river. 

The length of the first of these is three-eighths of a mile, and the 
distance saved by its construction will be lf^ miles. 

The length of the second or Great bend tunnel is ly^V miles, and 
the distance saved 6-]f- 0 - miles. 

There are other advantages incident to both these tunnels besides 
the m,ere reduction of distance and its consequences. Various abrupt 
curves are avoided by them which would present serious impediments 
to the use of the road. 


14 


At the Great bend, a line differing less than miles from that 
on ichich the tunnel occurs might be adopted by the admission of two 
shorter tunnels, and two viaducts over Greenbrier river. And if my 
opinion were not decidedly in favour of the shorter line of all, this- 
last mentioned route would have the preference. It is delineated on 
the map in blue. 

There are in this section 10 viaducts, one of which is across Green¬ 
brier river; two tunnels, mentioned above; several culverts and a 
number of drains. 

The most abrupt curve on the line, and the only one that need have 
a less radius than 800 feet, is at Steven’s ferry on this section. Its 
radius i? 600 feet. 

Section IV. From the mouth of Greenbrier river to Bowyer’s ferry 
41| miles. 

The shores of the valley of New river are formed of narrow strips 
of low ground, and alternate spaces where the mountain sides encroach 
upon the stream. In the section before me, the character of these hill 
sides is favourable to the object in view. They rarely expose a verti¬ 
cal cliff of rock on which the grading will have to be effected, but 
consist , almost wholly , of sloping surfaces formed of fragments of 
rock , which have apparently been detached from higher points of the 
mountain , and rolled down upon their present position. 

The grading along these slopes will not be difficult of execution. 
The road bed will be formed of the loose rock, which will be laid 
with some regularity on the lower side, to protect it from injury from 
freshets. 

At Cracker’s neck, nearly opposite to Piney creek, a bend of the 
river may again be cut off by the construction of a tunnel of a 
mile in length. The distance saved by this expedient will be ToV 
miles, and the direction of the line will be greatly improved. 

The material will most probably prove favourable for excavation. It 
is a soft, but durable sandstone. 

There will be needed in this section, 7 viaducts; a few culverts and 
drains, and the tunnel at Cracker’s neck, 792 yards in length. 

Section Y. From Bowyer’s ferry to the termination of the railroad 
at Loup creek shoals, 27-fo miles. 

The section now before us embraces the most difficult part of the 
valley of New river. The value of these difficulties, as impediments 
to the construction of the improvement, will appear in the estimate of 
the cost of the work, accompanying this report. 

The obstructions referred to, occur in the twenty miles between 
Bowyer’s Ferry and the mouth of Gauley river, known as the “cliffs” 
of New river. 

The execution of the work in all this distance, will require the re¬ 
moval and blasting of much rock, both in detached masses and in 
place. 

Below the “ Hawk’s nest,” there is a space of three and a half miles 
where this rock projects in many places into the river, and will render 
necessary a considerable amount of walling, the materials for which 
will be obtained by blasting off the top of the cliffs. 


15 


For a more particular description of these difficulties, and the forma¬ 
tion of this part of the valley, I must refer you to my report of the 
reconnoisance of last year—the statements in which are all verified 
by the examinations of the past season. 

Below the Hawk’s nest it is found most expedient to construct a 
tunnel 160 yards in length, through a projecting cliff, instead of over¬ 
coming the obstruction in the mode usually adopted. 

The line passes Gauley river on a viaduct elevated 28 feet above its 
surface; below the river it will be laid on the side of the hill, and be¬ 
tween it and the present turnpike. 

From the falls to the termination of the railroad below Loup creek 
shoals, the grading is exceedingly light. 

At the end of the road, where the transhipment from the cars to the 
boats will take place, the line will be located on the bank of the river, 
and between it and the warehouses. This bank should be graded so 
as to form a wharf, similar to the improved landings on the Ohio. 

The situation of the ground, as well as the character of the shore, 
is well adapted to the object. 

There will be required on this section, 1 tunnel, 160 yards long; 
3 viaducts ; several culverts and drains, and the car and engine houses, 
and machine shop at the termination of the line.''' 1 

The preceding extracttfembrace/ nearly the whole of the chief en¬ 
gineer’s report, the omissions being short, few and immaterial to the 
purpose of explaining the character of the location. It brings into 
view the formidable difficulties in the 1st, 2d and 5th sections, the 
two last of which delude the pass of the Alleghany and the cliffs of 
New river. But it is believed to be materially deficient in reference 
to the extent and magnitude of the obstacles which would be met 
with on the third and fourth sections, with the exception, however, of 
the proposed tunnels, a favourite mode of improving the line, which 
the chief engineer never loses an opportunity of bringing prominently 
forward, accompanied by strong and ingenious arguments in its favour. 

The 3d section, save a few miles next to the White Sulphur springs, 
consists entirely of the valley of Greenbrier river, from Greenbrier 
bridge to its confluence with New river, a distance (exclusive of the 
shortenings by the proposed tunnels) of about 48 miles. The 4th 
section embraces the valley of New river from the mouth of Green¬ 
brier to Bowyer’s ferry, a distance (if measured in like manner by the 
course of the stream) of 45 miles. 

In regard to the valley of the Greenbrier, the report is silent as to 
a class of difficulties which could not fail to be of serious magnitude 
in the location of the road. These difficulties would be met in lay¬ 
ing the line on the face of precipitous cliffs occurring at intervals 
throughout the whole of its extent. 

In a report made by another engineer (Mr. Gill) in the fall of 1841, 
of the results of a survey then made for the purpose of ascertaining 
whether it would not be expedient to dispense with this line of rail¬ 
road in favour of a canal, that officer speaks of the difficulties here al¬ 
luded to, in the following terms: 


16 


<£ Greenbrier river is very similar to James river above the Blue 
Ridge, being bounded on one side or the other by rugged cliff's or 
bluffs, many of which rise vertically from the water’s edge, varying in 
length from a quarter to a half % mile. These cliffs generally occur 
on the convex side, and are interspersed with long, but narrow flats. 
These prominent features have been taken advantage of throughout 
the location, and a combination of slack water and canals has been 
adopted as the most permanent and economical. 

The bed of the river, with but few exceptions, is composed of solid 
limestone or sandstone rock in horizontal strata, furnishing cheap and 
durable foundations for the dams, and the vertical cliff's, abutments 
already formed by nature. Stone and timber of the finest quality for 
building are abundant, and hydraulic limestone, so important in the 
construction of hydraulic works, is met with at intervals of from eight 
to ten miles.” [Appendix to 7th annual report, 2 vol., page 61.] 

With respect to the valley of New river from the mouth of Green¬ 
brier to Bowyer’s ferry, which constituted the 4th section,*as*above 
stated, [see page 12] the description given by Mr. Ellet, is in one ma¬ 
terial point indefinite, and in another point of very great importance, 
it is believed to be erroneous. 

1. It is indefinite in regard to tfye relative extent of :c narrow strips 
of low ground, and alternate spaces where the mountain sides encroach 
upon the stream.” 

From the terms of this description, a person unacquainted with the 
wild and rugged character of this valley, would be apt to suppose that 
there is no material difference between the aggregate extent of the 
bordering low ground and that of the bordering mountain sides; 
whereas, in point of fact, the latter greatly predominates, and in the 
lower part of this section becomes almost uninterruptedly continuous. 

Mr. Gill, in his report above referred to, speaks of this section as 
follows : “ New river, from the mouth of Greenbrier to Meadow river, 
13f miles, is occasionally bounded by narrow fiats, separated by high 
and precipitous bluffs and cliffs. Its surface frequently expands, va¬ 
rying from 600 to 1800 feet in width, and its average descent is 8.25 
feet per mile. 

From Meadow river to Bowyer’s ferry, 31J miles, the flats become 
much more contracted, with longer intervals of bluff and cliff, which 
assume a towering aspect; the channel of the river is also narrowed 
and its current much more rapid. The average fall is 8.93 feet per 
mile.” 

2. The representation of Mr. Ellet is believed to be decidedly er¬ 
roneous in the following passage: 1 In the section before me, the cha¬ 
racter of these hill sides is favourable to the object in view. They 
rarely expose a vertical cliff of rock on which the grading will have 
to be effected ; but consist almost wholly of sloping surfaces formed of 
fragments of rock, which have apparently been detached from higher 
points of the mountain and, rolled down into their position. The gra¬ 
ding along these slopes will not be difficult of execution. The road 
bed will be formed of the loose rock, which will be laid with some re¬ 
gularity on the lower side to protect it from injury from freshets.” 


17 


All who are acquainted with the valley of New river, are apprized 
that at the foot of the cliffs there is a bench-like projection consisting 
of fragments of rock which, in the lapse of ages, have fallen from the 
heights above, at various seasons of the year, but principally in winter 
when avalanches or snowfalls prevail on the sides of these cliff’s, as 
they do in the mountains of Switzerland. At first view, this might 
appear to be a favourable position for a railway ; but upon further ex¬ 
amination, it must assume a far different aspect. This bench is far 
from being perfectly continuous and regular. It is often broken by 
chasms and projecting rocks, over which it is difficult for the most ac¬ 
tive woodsman to make his way, and where it is not thus interrupted, 
its upper surface, consisting, as it every where does, of fragments and 
masses of angular rock, of unequal dimensionjjpiled upon each other 
in wild confusion, would require vast labour and expense even to re¬ 
duce it to a uniform grade. But if this could be easily accomplished ; 
suppose this range of mountain debris reduced and leveled down to 
the of the road, would this be regarded as a suitable and safe 

foundation for a railway by practical engineers of the present day? 
Modern experience in the system seems to shew that if rock be inter¬ 
posed between the superstructure of a railroad and the earth beneath, 
it should be reduced to small fragments, and so disposed as to present 
every where equable and unyielding support. It should be borne in 
mind, that at the foot of these cliffs, and even upon the bench, to 
which allusion is here made, there is little or no earth ; by no means 
sufficient to form the bed of a railway; and there being no road and 
no navigation, it could only be obtained from back of the cliffs above, 
which would be attended with vast expense. If, as a substitute for 
earth, the rock should be reduced by fracture to a small and suitable 
size, the next question would be as to a proper support for this bedding 
of broken stone, for the whole foundation of nature’s wild masonry is 
open and cavernous, and through the interstices the material would 
find a ready escape. 

It is admitted by the chief engineer, that the road bed according to 
his plan, would not only consist of the loose rock, but that it would 
have to be “ laid with some regularity on the lower side, to protect it 
from injury from freshets.' 1 ' 1 

This language implies that the margin of rock upon the lower side 
of the road would be somewhat uniform in size and easy to be han¬ 
dled. But in point of fact, they are, as the fragments of mountains 
in Switzerland, brought down by avalanches, various in form and size, 
and generally of immense bulk. None but such immense and con¬ 
fused masses of mountain debris could withstand the force of the im¬ 
petuous floods, which sweep the narrow and confined channel of this 
extraordinary and terrible gorge. 

Whether the location along this extensive range of precipitous hills 
and cliffs, be laid upon a higher or a lower elevation in reference to 
the river, the necessity of a sustaining wall to the lower side, through¬ 
out nearly its whole extent, will be inevitable; and if it should be 
placed upon the bench-like projection, above referred to, this wall 
would rest upon the unstable basis of the piled mass of fallen and ir- 

3 


18 


regular rocks, already mentioned; for to remove this mass, in order to 
reach a solid and secure foundation, would be attended with enormous 
and incalculable expense. 

The distance occupied by this range of steeps, being undefined in 
the report, cannot be precisely stated, but it probably extends as high 
as thirty miles, or two thirds of the whole line from the mouth of 
Greenbrier to Bowyer’s ferry. 

To those well acquainted with this valley, it must be apparent also 
that even in the residue of this section consisting of narrow strips of 
low grounds, the location of a railway would be attended with consi¬ 
derable expense, for these being liable to overflow from the river, the 
road would be subject to periodical derangement or destruction, unless 
secured by raising it ab<?ve the access of its impetuous currents at the 
periods of its highest floods. This safe elevation of the line could 
not be effected but by expensive walling, or by throwing it back on 
the hill sides, where it would encounter difficulties of kindred charac¬ 
ter with, and differing only in degree, from those to be met«Wii^h»on 
'the hills, situated in immediate contact with the stream. 

In regard to the 5th section, extending from Bowyer’s ferry to the 
termination of the railroad at Loup creek shoals, to illustrate more^ 
the extraordinary character of this part of the route, the subjoined de¬ 
scription of it, taken from Mr. Gill’s report, may also be presented: 

11 From Bowyehs ferry to a point about one mile above Gauley ri¬ 
ver , 17§ miles , (in which the fall is 319 feet,) it undergoes another 
change, and the water which above covered one third of a mile in 
width , is frequently forced through a passage not exceeding 60 feet. 
Bluffs covered with large blocks of detached rock and cliffs nearly ver¬ 
tical, impinge upon its edge, and rise on either side to an elevation va¬ 
rying from 600 to 1000 feet, and even this narrow channel is fre¬ 
quently impeded by large masses of rock scattered over its bed, ren¬ 
dering a passage not only difficult, but hazardous in the extreme. 
Through this terrific defile, its waters are forced over steep and abrupt 
falls with the rapidity of a mountain torrent, and as not a trace of 
the hand of man is visible, (with but-one exception,) and the horizon¬ 
tal vision circumscribed to half a mile in extent, the scene is one of 
awful grandeur rarely equalled, and perhaps never surpassed. 

From the point last named to the Great falls of Kanawha, 3 miles, 
the river expands and the descent is three feet per mile. At the falls 
it descends 23 feet, and from the foot of the falls to the foot of Loup 
creek shoals, ’six miles and 23 chains. At the foot of the shoal, the 
second division terminates. Its length, (viz : from the proposed basin, 

1£ miles below the mouth of Greenbrier , to Loup creek shoals ) is 69 
miles and 22 chains. The fall in the river 756 feet, and the estima¬ 
ted cost of the improvement on the plan , hereinafter suggested, is 
$2,065,700. 

But few streams of magnitude are so little known as the lower por¬ 
tion of New river. Winding its sinuous course down a deep worn 
channel through the mountains, bounded by bluffs and cliffs so high 
and precipitous as almost to preclude access to its shores, it is seldom 
visited except by hunters and the few scattered residents living along 


19 


its borders; and by those , its narrow gorges , towering cliffs and 
foaming cataracts , have been represented in so terrific a light as to 
f urnish grounds for the prevalent impression , that its improvement is 
impracticable. But the objections that those appalling descriptions 
have created, do not exist in reality. They are spectres of imagina¬ 
tion. It is not essential to the construction of an economical and du¬ 
rable improvement in the valley of New river , that we should be com¬ 
pelled to resort to an expensive railway or canal traced at a high ele¬ 
vation along its bluffs and cliffs, exposed to constant injury from 
masses of falling rock. Nature has indicated otherwise. She has 
with a, prolific hand, within these rock-bound shores, furnished all the 
elements for the construction of a cheap and permanent improvement 
consisting of locks and dams, sites for the creation of which of the 
most desirable description, and materials of the best quality for their 
construction , are distributed along the entire route in profusion. And 
feeling confident that the latter description of improvement is the most 
permanent and economical that can be adopted on this stream , I re¬ 
commend it and proceed to describe the dimensions and plan.” 

It should be borne in mind, that the danger from falling rocks, here 
spoken of by Mr. Gill, as incident to a railroad traced upon the bluffs 
and cliffs between Bowyer’s ferry and the mouth of Gauley, would 
likewise be applicable to the whole range of hills and cliffs between 
Bowyer’s ferry and the mouth of Greenbrier. This entire range is 
also subject to snow-falls or avalanches in winter and spring, which 
sweep down the steeps with irresistible force, carrying often, both 
rocks and trees before them into the river below. To say nothing of 
the danger to passing trains at the foot or upon the sides of these cliffs, 
it can well be imagined, that in addition to the costly character of the 
first construction, a railway in this position would be subject not only 
to great contingent delays and irregularities, but to heavy annual char¬ 
ges for reconstructions, arising from natural causes against which no 
human art could provide. Let it be remarked too. by the way, that 
if from these or other causes, the proper adjustment of the rails should 
become deranged, so as to throw the locomotive off the track, there 
would be imminent danger to both the locomotive and its train, of be¬ 
ing precipitated over the rocks into the river below. 

That the location of a railway along the hills and cliffs of New ri¬ 
ver in the section between the mouth of Greenbrier and Bowyer’s 
ferry, would not be of the easy and favourable character Represented in 
the report of Mr. El let, is not an opinion of mere subseqnent occur¬ 
rence: It existed at the time with a person more conversant with the 
locality than even Mr. Ellet himself. Mr. Harris, his respectable and 
intelligent assistant, who traced the line in the valley of New river, 
informed Mr. Gill, then another assistant engineer upon the Kanawha 
river below, that he expressed to Mr. Ellet the opinion that the prices 
of the rock excavation charged in the estimate and which were deter¬ 
mined on by Mr. Ellet were too low. The same opinion was ex¬ 
pressed by the same officer to the then president of the company, 
riot only in reference to the rock excavation but to the arrangement 
of the loose rock both in the bed and upon the lower side of the road, 


20 


and although the president considered it proper at the time to concur 
with the superior rather than with a subordinate member of the corps, 
the records of the company bear ample testimony that, in subsequent 
years he entertained far different views in reference to the character of 
this location, and, indeed, in regard to the whole policy of a railway 
as a constituent part of the central improvement. [See 7th and 1111 1 
annual reports.] 

A passage in Mr. Ellet’s report relative to the 20 miles between 
Bowyer’s ferry and the mouth of Gauley, illustrates strikingly the con¬ 
templated method of location in some parts of this valley, as well as 
the boldness and facility with which obstacles of gigantic magnitude 
were to be disposed of. “ Below the Hawk’s nest,” says the report, 
“ there is a space of 3£ miles where this rock projects in many places 
into the river, and will render necessary a considerable amount of wall¬ 
ing,' Ihe materials for which will be obtained by blasting off the tops 
of the cliffs.” [Rep. page 461.] Now if it be borne in mind that 
the cliffs here are about 1000 feet high and the river below is com¬ 
pressed by perpendicular walls of rock to a breadth of some 60 feet, 
some imagination may be formed of the vast pile of rock which 
would be necessary to sustain the railway, reaching, as this pile neces¬ 
sarily must, from the bottom of these great depths to upwards of 50 
feet above the ordinary level of the water, that being the elevation of 
the freshes which frequently occur in this part of the stream. 

The preceding remarks in regard to the valley of New river, have 
been thus far extended, because of the very great importance of this 
part of the line as being common to all the practicable routes presen¬ 
ted in the report, which separating’ before or after passing the Alle¬ 
ghany, re-unite at the mouth of Greenbrier, and from thence to Loup 
creek shoals occupy the same location. 

The review which has been presented of the character of the mid¬ 
dle route from Covington to Loup creek shoals, so far as it relates to 
the first, second and fifth sections in Mr. Ellet’s description, which em¬ 
brace the formidable barriers at the pass of the Alleghany and at the 
cliffs of New river, is founded upon facts stated by that officer, cor¬ 
roborated, in regard to the fifth section, by similar facts derived from 
Mr. Gill, another chief engineer of the company: and, so far as it 
respects the third and fourth sections, which cover the line upon 
Greenbrier and New river down to Bowyer’s ferry, it is based partly 
upon statements to be found in Mr. Ellet’s description and partly upon 
facts, known fo all who are well acquainted with the localities, or upou 
legitimate inferences, drawn from these statements and facts. It is 
possible that it may be overcharged in the assumption that a bench-like 
projection, formed of the rocky debris of the mountains, borders the 
foot of the hills above as well as below Bowyer’s ferry. But if this 
overcharge should exist, it is believed that it would not materially in¬ 
fluence the difficulty and expensiveness of the preparation of the road 
bed in this part of the valley. If this bench-like projection should be 
more limited in extent than has been assumed, or even if it exist not 
at all above the ferry, the line would be traced upon rocky slopes ex¬ 
tending down to the river, and the road bed must be formed con- 


21 


fessedly upon rocks fallen from the heights above, arranged for the pur¬ 
pose, and it would necessarily call for a nearly continuous wall upon 
its lower side, and for a well arranged riprap of very heavy fragments 
below this wall to guard against destruction or derangement at the time 
of- high floods. 

If then, the rapid survey here presented, be essentially correct, the 
question arises as to the true character of the middle route; not whe¬ 
ther, if the proposed road should be properly planned and well con¬ 
structed, it would not possess the advantage of favourable grades and a 
single ridge to surmount as a line of railroad communication across the 
mountains, for this is readily conceded : but the question intended to be 
met, respects the real character of this route, in reference to the amount 
of natural obstacles to be encountered in the gradation and prepara¬ 
tion of the road bed. In this latter point of view does it belong to 
the class of easy or to that of difficult routes? And, if to the latter 
class, is it of medium or extraordinary difficulty ? The question may 
be answered by another. Is there a railroad route anywhere to be 
found which presents such a formidable array of difficulties and im¬ 
pediments of the first magnitude ? The question applies of course, 
not to fancy routes heretofore proposed and abandoned, but to routes 
already executed or to such as are still unexecuted, but have fair rea¬ 
sonable pretensions to the patronage of corporations or states. Choose 
150 miles out of any railway location, and name the one, that viewed, 
under the aspect proposed by the interrogatory, can challenge a com¬ 
parison with the 150 miles between Covington and Loup creek shoals. 
What route is it, that in the compass of 150 miles, presents two such 
formidable difficulties as the tunnel of 2A- miles at the pass of the Al¬ 
leghany, and the construction of the road bed in the 3^ miles imme¬ 
diately below the Hawk’s nest? 

It must be conceded that the route in question, falls properly within 
/—routes of extraordinary difficulty; as, in fact^do all the 

^es wA^F the mountains separating the eastern and western waters 
between Georgia and the Hudson. How very striking is the differ¬ 
ence between this and the routes which have been located in Eastern 
Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, upon many of which the engi¬ 
neer may avail himself of a leading ridge or wide reaching plain with 
scarcely a stream to bridge, a hill to cut through or a ravine to fill up: 
where, in fact, he has scarcely anything more to do than to lay his tim¬ 
bers, cut from the road side, upon the level surface of the natural 
earth. 

From the information which we possess upon the subject, we have 
every reason to believe that there is not a line in the whole of the New 
England states which has had to contend with two such gigantic im¬ 
pediments as the two which h\fve been specified above. It may be 
confidently asserted that there are none such upon the line of the cel¬ 
ebrated Western road, which is generally regarded as their greatest and 
most difficult enterpnze. 

Such is the extent and character of the middle route, crossing the 
Alleghany by the way of Fork run and the White Sulphur springs. 


Let it be remembered that this route is, in all respects, preferable to 
either of the other three practicable routes between Covington and the 
falls, and that the chief engineer expressly states that “ even if the 
choice were to turn on the question of cost alone , the route proposed 
would receive the preference .” 

II. Extent to which the proposed railroad would interfere 

' WITH THE LOCATION OF THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE JAMES RIVER 

and Kanawha company. 

It is well ascertained that this company is perfectly settled in its 
determination to. continue its work across the Alleghany by the way 
of the middle route, and is decidedly opposed to any interference with 
its line. 

The policy of the company in regard to the stijle of its future im¬ 
provement between Covington and Loup creek shoals is undetermined. 
At the organization of the company in 1835, the company decided in 
favour of a railway upon this part of the line. In December 1841, 
after a survey of that part of the line, to test the correctness of a 
change of plan, and after a recommendation from the president and 
directors, the stockholders decided that it would be expedient to aban¬ 
don the proposed portage railroad and to substitute in place of it, an 
extension of the water line from Loup creek shoals up to Greenbrier 
bridge ; and as a temporary measure, a Macadamized surface to be laid 
upon the company’s turnpike from the bridge over to Covington, but 
with a view to an ultimate completion of the water line. 

A memorial, asking an amendment of the charter to this effect, 
coupled with a fiscal scheme, involving a heavy contribution from the 
state, was presented to the legislature, then in session, but was not acted 
upon, and remained among the unfinished business of the session. 
The subject remained in this posture until the annual meeting in De¬ 
cember 1845, when the stockholders, in the midst of much exciteme'ht*' 
then existing in the company, passed a resolution, declaring that the 
proper mode of connecting the waters of James river with the western 
waters was by railroad; thus virtually returning to the previously dis¬ 
carded policy of a portage railway. Since the period last mentioned, 
two other presidents of the company have been elected, both most de¬ 
cided and avowed advocates of a continuous water line in preference 
to a railway portage between Covington and Kanawha ; and both have 
co-operated by means of rain guages stationed on the Alleghany to 
demonstrate that a sufficiency of water to feed the canal may be pro¬ 
vided on the summit level ; and have regularly reported their proceed¬ 
ings and the result to the stockholders. The question is thus practi¬ 
cally suspended, and it will probably continue so, until the period of 
necessary action shall arrive, when tra company and the state will, 
doubtless, decide in favour of the kind of improvement best calculated 
to secure to Virginia the western trade, which was the original object 
of the work. In the meantime, it is to be presumed that the legisla¬ 
ture will be disposed to do nothing to prejudice the interests of the 
company in regard to the most advantageous future location of the im- 


23 


provement, or to impair its ability to improve its line, so as to insure 
more effectually the original objects of its institution. And it may be 
confidently expected, that a just regard to the interest of the state, in 
this great line of improvement, will cause the legislature to pause long 
and weigh well the merits of a scheme of interfering policy, which 
will involve among its consequences not only a veto upon the con¬ 
struction of a continuous canal, by the present generation, but a veto 
upon its construction by generations to come. 

In the enquiry, therefore, relative to the extent to which the pro¬ 
posed railway would interfere with the location of the James river and 
Kanawha company’s improvement, it is prudent and proper to consider 
the question upon the supposition that a continuous water line may 
hereafter be adopted by the company. 

The extent of this interference will depend essentially upon which 
of the four practicable routes, the proposed railway would adopt, and 
the consequent length of line in which the two works would.be 
parallel to each other. If either the 3d or 4th routes, crossing the Al¬ 
leghany near the Sweet springs and passing thence by the way of In¬ 
dian creek in Monroe county, should be adopted, the two works would 
run parallel to each other, from Covington to the mouth of Fork ruu, 
a distance of about 14 miles. If the second route, also crossing the 
mountain near the Sweet springs and passing thence down Second 
creek and Greenbrier, should be selected, the two works would be pa¬ 
rallel not only for the same distance from Covington to Fork run, but 
the additional distance from the mouth of Second creek to the basin 
below the mouth of Greenbrier, making an aggregate distance of about 
54 miles. If the first route (that is the middle route) should be pre¬ 
ferred, the two works would be parallel to each other all the way 
from Covington to the basin below the mouth of Greenbrier, a dis¬ 
tance, by the line of the canal, of about 73 miles. 

In this statement of the extent of interference between the railway 
and the water line, no notice is taken of that portion of the route 
which lies beyond the basin, near the mouth of Greenbrier; for 
the reason, that, although the two works will there continue parallel 
to each other, any material collision between them would be avoided 
by the transfer of the line of navigation from the shores to the bosom 
of the stream. 

But, it should be observed, by the way, that if the railroad should 
at any time be extended so as to meet the head of the Louisa railway, 
about 12 miles will thereby be added to the length of the line of in¬ 
terference, on all the specified practicable routes; that being about the 
distance from Covington to the mouth of Wilson’s creek, where the 
route to Staunton branches off from the valley of Jackson’s river. 
Such extension would enlarge the line of interference by either of the 
southern routes passing by the Sweet springs, to at least 26 miles; 
and by the middle route, to about 95 miles. Of the latter distance, 
about 27 miles would be occupied by slack water on the Greenbrier 
part of the line; and, perhaps, a few miles in connection with any 
of the practicable routes, might in like manner, be occupied upon 
Jackson’s river. 


24 


The question then arises: would the location of the two works, 
thus placed in juxtaposition for the distances specified upon the va¬ 
rious routes, come into injurious collision, so as to add materially to 
the natural difficulties and embarrassments with which the engineer 
would have to contend ? It seems perfectly reasonable to infer that 
such collision would unavoidably exist, and that its amount would be 
pretty much in proportion to the length of the line of joint location. 

To illustrate the subject, let the middle route be assumed as the ba¬ 
sis of remark. 

On this side of the Alleghany, Jackson’s river is one of the highest 
tributaries of James river. Dunlap’s creek is a tributary of Jackson’s 
river; and Fork run, again, is a tributary of Dunlap’s creek ; and it is 
through the valleys of these tributary streams, that the combined line 
of these two great works, would ascend, by passing out of one into 
the other, up to the tunnel of 2£ miles through the Alleghany. 

On the other side of the mountain, the combined line, in order to 
reach the valley of New river, would pass through a similar succession 
of tributaries, in the valleys of Tuckahoe creek, Howard’s creek and 
Greenbrier river, which successively run into each other, and then dis¬ 
embogue into New river—the primary stream of the west. 

Now, it is known to all, that in ascending on either side of the di¬ 
viding ridge, through a line of successive tributaries, in proportion as 
we go up, the streams become narrower and more tortuous, and the 
alternating hills and cliffs, become more frequent and precipitous. It 
is also known to all persons conversant with such subjects, that whilst 
upon the wider tributaries below, such as Jackson’s and Greenbrier 
rivers, it is the aim of the engineer, whether of a railway or a canal, 
in order to avert great expense in the form of viaducts or towing path 
bridges, as the case may be, to confine the location as much as practi¬ 
cable on one side of the stream ; and if the direction of the line ap¬ 
proximate to eastern and western, to place it preferably on the north 
bank, so as to front to the south; yet it is equally well understood, 
that in the upper and more contracted tributaries, where from the 
smaller breadth of the water courses, such structures would be less 
expensive, it is the practice of engineers, in order to avoid abrupt 
curves, and the contact of steep cliffs, to cross from side to side, these 
alternations increasing in frequency in proportion as the work approxi¬ 
mates to the summit level or main dividing ridge. 

A strong confirmation of the correctness of these views is to be 
found in several passages of Mr. El let’s descriptive report: 

“ On leaving Covington ” [the report states, page 466] “ the line 
will sweep across the river , so that the bridge will form a part of its 
curve , and occupy at first the north bank of Dunlap's creek. The 
course of this stream is very serpentine , and its inflections generally 
abrupt. It is frequently bounded on one side or the other by vertical 
cliffs of rock , though these may generally be avoided in the location. 

The stream is in many places crossed by the line, for the purpose of 
improving its direction ; a circumstance which explains the high sum 
allowed for viaducts in the estimate. 


25 


To avoid some of the bends in the stream, and reduce the length of 
the line, a grade of 50 feet per mile is encountered in the third mile, 
and a tunnel of 990 feet long below the mouth of Oglefs creek. By 
the adoption of this plan, the direction of the line is greatly im¬ 
proved, the abruptness of the curvature diminished, and the distance 
greatly reduced." 

Again in reference to the location in the valley of Fork rnn above, 
the report thus proceeds: 

u The route of the road leaves the valley of Dunlap' 1 s creek a short 
distance beyond the eastern end of the grade of 75 feet, at the mouth 
of Fork run, and crossing the branch near its mouth on an elevated 
embankment, is laid on the side of the mountain bounding the creek 
on the south. The bed of Fork run rises more rapidly than the grade 
of the road, so that the two planes intersect about three miles above the 
valley of Dunlap's creek. With the exception of two points, where 
the run receives very small tributaries, the hill in the first tico miles 
is sufficiently uniform to permit the line to be conveniently adapted to 
its slope. The last mile of this heavy grade—or the point nearest the 
tunnel—is much more rugged and broken. Frequent crossing from 
one side of the valley to the other becomes necessary, and in the part 
immediately adjacent to the tunnel, a considerable excavation in rock;, 
where some embarrassment will be experienced from the water in the 
7'un. The latter circumstance will not be important, if the excava¬ 
tion happen to be completed in the summer season, though at any 
other period the water will be a great annoyance." 

Again, in describing the location on Howard’s creek, the report goes 
on as follows: 

“ In passing down Howard's creek, the line is carried several times 
across that stream, for the purpose of improving its direction, or of oc¬ 
cupying more favourable ground for its construction. At the mouth of 
the creek, a considerable cut in rock is encountered, to avoid following 
an abrupt bend of the stream, and a level is adopted which raises the 
surface of the road 43 feet above the Greenbrier river." 

In considering the question whether a joint location of the two 
works through the narrow valleys of the upper tributaries on either 
side of the Alleghany would not greatly enhance the difficulty and ex¬ 
pense of the canal, it should be borne in mind that the breadth of 
ground necessary for the accommodation of such a work and its em¬ 
bankments amounts upon level land to 100 feet, and upon hill sides to 
200 feet in breadth, and that upon the line between Covington and 
the summit of the mountain, the locks with their accompanying lock- 
houses and gardens would be repeated necessarily at average intervals, 
of not more than a quarter of a mile in length. 

It is apparent to every reflecting mind, that in the valleys of the 
upper tributaries, each work will be limited to one side of the valley; 
and thus each would lose the advantage of crossing from side to side, 
and of a choice of the best ground for its location. Each must also 
encounter, in its progress, the range of alternating cliff's, and a vast 
expense of deep cuts through projecting points at the sinuosities of 
the streams, in order to avoid frequent and abrupt curves in the line. 

4 


26 


In some of the narrow rock-bound gorges of these mountain valleys, 
there would be no small difficulty in providing for the proper location 
of the canal, without the accompaniment of a parallel railway. Un¬ 
der such circumstances, is it unreasonable to say that difficulties of the 
first magnitude would at various points, be disclosed, in the progress 
of a joint location, especially if the plan of the railway should call for 
a double track ? Experience in the joint location of two similar works 
at the Point of Rocks in Maryland has furnished ample evidence of 
the correctness of such apprehensions. Why, then, should we, with 
the advantage of such experience to guide our counsels, hesitate for a 
moment to believe that the natural difficulties and embarrassments of 
this rugged route, would be greatly augmented by a joint location 
upon the middle route, when we have evidence to prove the existence 
of many similar points of conflict, upon the interfering parts of our 
line ? 

In the consideration of this question, a very material circumstance 
should not be lost sight of: namely, that the conjoint works would 
not, upon the plan proposed, be executed by a single agency, and un¬ 
der a single jurisdiction, but by different agencies, and under different 
jurisdictions; so that, to the intrinsic objections to the companionship 
of two such works, under circumstances so very unfavourable, are to 
be added the factitious disadvantages of a divided administration and 
jarring claims. 

It is proper here to advert briefly to an extract from the 4th annual 
report of the James river and Kanawha company which has recently 
received the honourable notice of being printed as a separate document 
for the instruction of the general assembly. This extract after a flat¬ 
tering view of the middle route, from Covington to Loup creek shoals 
for the location of a railway, which, in fact, is only a summary state¬ 
ment upon the subject, derived from the accompanying report of the 
chief engineer, concludes as follows: 

“ An important fact should not be omitted, in concluding the rapid 
sketch which has just been presented of the railroad portion of the 
company'’s line ; which is the practicability , as ascertained by the ex¬ 
amination of the engineers, of completing in future time, our line of 
water communication along the route of the proposed railroad; not 
only in the mode suggested by Major William G. M’Neil, in his 
survey of this region in the year 1827; but upon a different plan of 
supplying the summit level, which in their view would be attended 
with equal success, and with much less difficulty and expense. It is 
also believed that should the location of the railroad be ultimately es¬ 
tablished upon the line of the Greenbrier, or the middle route, that lo¬ 
cation would present no serious impediment to the completion of the 
water line along the same route, provided that at the points where the 
two improvements might otherwise corne into conflict with each other, 
any line of the canal forming a part of the water line, should be ju¬ 
diciously broken by the occasional introduction of slack water naviga¬ 
tion.'” 

This declaration of opinion should be considered in connection with 
the concomitant circumstances by which it was accompanied. The 


27 



question of the facility or difficulty of a joint location of a canal and 
railway upon the middle route, was an incidental question touching a 
possible future improvement of the line of works, not required by the 
charter of the company, and, upon examination, it will appear that it 
is not noticed in the chief engineer’s report, and that it did not consti¬ 
tute one of the objects of the survey upon which the report was foun¬ 
ded. 1 he opinion here expressed, was a mere general impression on 
tne part of the engineers, communicated, not in writing but orally, by 
those officers to the then president by whom it was introduced into the 
annual report, as information interesting to the stockholders of the 
company. 

The remark, however, may here be due to the first president of the 
company, that his own unbiassed convictions upon this subject, as de¬ 
liberately expressed, and publicly avowed at periods long antecedent 
and subsequent to this occasion, may be distinctly seen in the follow¬ 
ing extracts from his 11th annual report: [page 588.] 

The impression seems now to be prevalent, not only that the 
change of plan adopted in 1841, should be rescinded, but that the rail¬ 
road policy should be resumed and extended beyond the limits assigned 
to it in 1835, and were it now an original question, that it should be 
made to coyer the whole line. Indeed it is contemplated to change a 
large portion of the long settled route in favour of a new location for 
that part of the improvement. 

. 1 do not concur in these views. I maintain , unaltered, the conclu¬ 
sions to which I had arrived in 1841, both as to the plan and as to 
the route of the improvement. 

First, AS TO THE plan. At the first general meeting in 1835, when 
the plan of the improvement to be adopted, was under discussion, I 
was called upon for my views as to the relative advantages of rail¬ 
roads and canals. I responded to the call, as the published proceed¬ 
ings will shew, by stating the following ‘ objections to the substitution 
of a railroad for a canal 

1. That the preference of a continuous railroad will cause the loss 
of nearly the whole amount of capital invested in the lower James 
river canal, and the canal at the Blue Ridge* 

2. Transportation would be more expensive in the proportion of at 
least two to one. 

3. It would be the means of exchanging a free highway for a close 
monopoly. 

4. The property transported would be more exposed to damage. 

5. Transportation on railroads is inconvenient for many heavy ar¬ 
ticles. 

6. The adoption of a continuous railroad would cause the loss of 
the water power of the rivers connected with the canal, and of the 
valuable estate held by the company in the water of the rivers, as well 

At the date of these proceedings, it was intended to make the masonry on the 
new canal of the same dimensions with that on the old canal from Richmond to 
Maiden’s Adventure, so as to retain the old canal as a part of the line. But this plan 
was subsequently abandoned, as heretofore stated. See 8th annual report, page 278. 




28 


as of the manufactories , towns and villages to result from the water 
power to the community at large. 

7. That a continuous railroad would be more exposed to the danger 
of competition in the vicinity and at a distance. 

8. That the two species of improvement possess each its peculiar 
advantages , neither possessing all the advantages of the other, and 
both being necessary , ultimately, to the prosperity of the central line ; 
and that the adoption of a continuous railroad would preclude a ca¬ 
nal, whilst the adoption of a canal would not necessarily preclude the 
railroad.” 

Again, [page 604 of the same report.] 

“ I will now dismiss the second of the series of objections to the 
proposed change of plan, heretofore enumerated. The residue of the 
series relates to the exchange of an open highway upon a canal for 
the close monopoly of a railroad ; to the greater liability of property to 
be damaged upon a railroad ; to the comparative unsuitableness of a 
railroad for the transportation of certain classes of articles; to the 
great loss of water power consequent upon the proposed change ; to the 
greater danger of a diversion of trade from a railroad; and to the 
fact that a railroad across the state, although ultimately desirable for 
the transmission of travel and light goods, would, if now located in 
the Valle's s of the rivers, tend to preclude the construction of a wa¬ 
ter line hereafter , whilst from its greater freedom of location, it 
would not be precluded by the previous construction of a canal.” 

The preceding remarks present some of the grounds for the belief 
that to lay the proposed railway on the side of the canal would greatly 
enhance the cost of a single and separate location of the former work. 
But it is unnecessary to pursue this branch of the subject, for the rea¬ 
son that the discussion under this head is obviously gratuitous. For 
is it not the evident aim of the advocates of the proposed railway to 
stop the canal at Covington, and to substitute in the place of the wa¬ 
ter line, a railroad portage beyond that point ? Do they not even seek 
to disparage the scheme of extending the canal further west than Co¬ 
vington by styling it “an obsolete idea,” and to recommend the pro¬ 
posed railway, by representing it as a less expensive and more practi¬ 
cable and advantageous feeder? And, even if such were not the evi¬ 
dent motive and object by which these advocates are actuated, can any 
reasonable man be brought to the belief, that, in our day and genera¬ 
tion the legislature could be induced, in despite of the rival claims of 
other parts of the state, to encounter the formidable task of sustaining 
at one and the same time, both these great and costly undertakings? 
And furthermore, if the bill for the proposed railway should be carried, 
is there no ground to apprehend that the stockholders of the company 
might make it the basis of a strong equitable appeal to the legislature 
to be entirely discharged from their chartered obligations to extend 
their line of improvement, in any form, to the west of the town of 
Covington ? Such results from an interference so unforeseen, so unex¬ 
pected and so injurious, are so very natural and legitimate, that to sim¬ 
plify and disembarrass the subject in the further prosecution of these 
remarks, it will be assumed that the proposed railway, if sanctioned 


29 


by the legislature, will be a single and independent work, to be con- . 
structed by the state, and that it will constitute our only reliance for 
bringing the heavy trade of the Ohio to the head of the canal. 

III. The style and cost of the railway. 

The main object of the present investigation being the extent of fis¬ 
cal responsibility which the state would assume by undertaking the 
construction of the proposed works, the enquiry legitimately compre¬ 
hends, not merely the amount of outlay upon some such cheap form 
of load, such as is usual at the south in the commencement of similar 
works, undertaken upon individual or corporate account, but the cost 
likewise of such modifications and extensions, as it must ultimately 
‘ receive in the hands of the state to make it adequate to the ends in 
view. The true question then is, what is the amount of expenditure 
which the state would incur, if she should make not merely such a 
light and cheap railway as would suffice to bring passengers and sup¬ 
plies to the mineral springs in our mountains, but such a solid and 
ample road, as would constitute the western arm of our great central 
line of improvement, and a suitable avenue for the trade and travel 
between Eastern Virginia and the western states. To restrict the en¬ 
quiry within narrower limits, would be to play the part of ju°<ders 
and to trifle with the dignity and the intelligence of the legislature. ’ 

There are railways of various styles, and of various degrees of prime 
cost, according to the style. 

1. A railway with a single track, and a light superstructure and or- 
/ dinary plate rail. 

2. A railway with a single track and a -heavy superstructure and 

heavy rail. 

3. A railway with a single track, but graded for two tracks and with 

a light superstructure and plate rail. 

4. A tail way, the same as No. 5, but with a heavy superstructure 

and heavy rail. 

5. A railway of two tracks, and with a heavy superstructure and 

heavy rail on one track, and a light superstructure and plate 

rail on the other. 

6. A railway of two tracks, with a heavy superstructure and heavy 

rail on both tracks. J 

Specimens of all the varieties in this series have been seen, and 
perhaps, are still to be found in different parts of the United States! 

A specimen of No. I is furnished in most, if not all, the present rail¬ 
roads in Eastern Virginia; of No. 2, in most of the present railroads in 
New England ; of No. 3, in the New York and Erie railroad, before 
the company abandoned the plate rail with which they commenced, 
and substituted it by an edge rail of 56 lbs. to the yard ; of No. 4, in 
the New York and Erie railroad after the change in the weight of the 
rail had been made; of No. 5, examples may probably be found upon 
lines graded for a double track, and supplied at first with a plate rail 
on one of the tracks ; of No. 6, there are specimens in the Boston and 

Worcester railroad ; and the upper and lower ends of the Hudson river 
railroad|. 


30 


« It will be observed that this rising series consists of two classes of 
roads distinctly contradistinguished from each other, by the number of 
tracks made or provided for the road; the first class embracing Nos. 1 
and 2, and the second class, Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6; and that in each class, 
the road rises from the lower to the higher number or numbers in the 
class, by a mere change in the style and character of the superstruc¬ 
ture. 

But it must also be observed that for a railroad to pass out of the 
first class into the second, would be attended with much greater diffi¬ 
culty and expense, and that the observation is strikingly applicable to 
the route of the proposed railroad from Covington to Loup creek shoals. 
In laying the foundation, and in the construction of the vast aggregate 
line of walling throughout the valley of New river and at various 
other points on the route, and in building the numerous viaducts in 
the upper tributary streams on either side of the mountain, it is evi¬ 
dent that the proper breadth for a double track should be given at 
once, rather than to make such a provision at a future time. It should 
also be borne in mind, that no less than five tunnels are recommended, 
one of them at the Alleghany 2£ miles long, and that any postpone¬ 
ment in giving the full breadth that would ever be requisite at any of 
these points, would be altogether inadmissible. It may, therefore, be 
safely assumed that if the proposed railroad is ever to have a double 
track, adequate provision must be made for it, in the first construction 
of the work. 

It then becomes a very material enquiry, whether a railway of sin¬ 
gle track, under either of the modifications in the first class, would al¬ 
ways be sufficient for thepurposes and objects of the line. 

Upon questions of this description, the experience of the country, 
limited as it is, furnishes a much safer test of truth, than mere specu¬ 
lation, however elaborate, ingenious and refined. 

In the summer of 1845, the first president of the James river and 
Kanawha company personally visited many of the public works at the 
north with the view of ascertaining the results of experience in refer¬ 
ence to questions of this description, but was prevented by accidental 
causes from completing the tour which he originally designed. 

In his 11th annual report, [page 604,] when speaking of this subject, 
he says: 

“ Whilst at the north , I learnt from the best sources of information, 
that for a large business in travel and freight , a double track was 
deemed indispensable .” 

It is well ascertained that among the various reliable sources from 
which this information was derived, was John Childe, Esq., the distin¬ 
guished engineer of the great western railroad in Massachusetts, who 
stated that experience on the line of that work, had demonstrated the 
great importance of a second track to the road, and that the company 
would provide one, as soon as the state of its funds would permit. 

At a later period of the same year (1845) the secretary of the James 
river and Kanawha company (the late William B. Chittenden) being 
furnished by the then president, with a series of additional and sup¬ 
plemental enquiries, travelled north as far as Boston, and at tl^ latter 


31 


place, held communications with Nathan Hale, Esq., the able presi¬ 
dent, and Mr. Parker, the intelligent superintendent of the Boston and 
Worcester railroad. The following is a literal extract from the list of 
queries propounded, and of the answers received, which was commu¬ 
nicated to the president by Mr. Chittenden on his return to Richmond : 

“ 1KA enquiry. Is not a double track regarded as highly impor¬ 
tant if not indispensable , on a railroad doing a heavy freight busi¬ 
ness ? 

“ Answer by the same , [viz. by Mr. Parker.] Decidedly so. [The 
president said the same.”] 

It is scarcely necessary to remark, that upon this class of subjects, 
our country furnishes no higher authority, probably, than that of the 
president and superintendent of this very successful and enlightened 
company. 

What adds greatly to the weight of the preceding opinions and 
statements is, that the policy therein inculcated, is sanctioned by the 
present practice of nearly all the principal thoroughfares for travel and 
freights in the states north of Virginia, the Boston and Worcester, the 
Great Western, the Hudson river railroad, the New York and Erie, the 
Philadelphia and Reading, the Philadelphia and Pittsburg and the Bal¬ 
timore and Ohio. 

Let it not be urged in opposition to these views, that nearly all the 
railroads at the south, and a large majority of those at the north, and even 
in New England have commenced business, and are still operating with 
but a single track : it only proves that the means of procuring this 
improvement do not now exist, or that the business to be done, has not 
yet reached the point of advancement which is necessary to justify the 
expense. 

The evidences which go to prove the unfitness of the ordinary plate 
rail, for the route in question, are as numerous and conclusive as those 
above quoted, to demonstrate the ultimate necessity of a double track. 
This truth, however, is now so universally understood and conceded, 
that only a few prominent instances of proof will be quoted. 

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad commenced with a plate rail of 
AT ** lbs. to the yard. The following extract from the annual report of 
the president of that company in October 1845, announces the views of 
the company upon the subject, at the period of the report: 

“ It is manifest , however , that the increasing business of the road , 
and especially that arising from the prosecution of the coal trade , will 
render it necessary for the company steadily to pursue the system, com¬ 
menced in 1838, of gradually renovating the entire line to Harper's 
Ferry , with a substantial edge rail , such as is used west of that point ; 

* * * *. Indeed a wise economy ivould suggest that the accom¬ 

plishment of so important a work should not be delayed beyond the 
earliest practicable period .” 

In connection with this quotation, let it also be remarked that it is 
reported upon apparently reliable authority, that even the edge rail, 
here referred to, which is represented to be about 52 lbs. to the yard, 
is breaking, and the string pieces above Harper’s Ferry, are splintering, 
in a manner very embarrassing to the company, under the action of 


32 


the heavy locomotives of 22 tons weight, which are used upon the 
road. 

Another striking example of similar import may be cited from the 
experience of the New York and Erie railroad. In the second report of 
the directors to the stockholders of the company [page 16] we find the 
following passage : 

11 The directors being , after due investigation , satisfied that the or¬ 
dinary plate rail and light timber , formerly proposed , would be inade¬ 
quate to the objects and business of this road , and in every point of 
view inexpedient, adopted an edge rail of the most approved form , 
weighing 56 lbs. per lineal yard.” 

We have here presented a warning upon this subject, which merits 
the more attention, from the circumstance of its coming to ns from a 
company which is engaged in the prosecution of a railway, intended, 
like the one proposed, to form a connection between the eastern and 
western waters, with a view to objects identical with those which gave 
origin to the enterprize in which we are engaged. 

To these unanswerable evidences of the unsuitableness and inade¬ 
quacy of a plate rail and light superstructure for a railway intended as 
an avenue between the east and the west, others might be added ; 
but, omitting further detailed examples as unnecessary, it will suffice 
to state, that this description of rail has gone into disuse, generally, in 
the New England states ; so that at this period, there is probably, not 
a specimen of it remaining in that region, where the railway system 
has so rapidly risen and become so generally diffused : and that it is 
notorious, that upon all the principal new lines in the middle states, 
where the companies are sustained by sufficient funds, the approved 
practice now is, to throw aside the temporizing policy of a plate rail 
and to commence at once with the more weighty, durable and im¬ 
proved form. 

It may be proper here to advert briefly to the remarkable recent pro¬ 
ceeding of the friends of the proposed railway from Covington to the 
falls, in procuring by order of the house of delegates the publication for 
the use of the members of the general assembly of a part of the 4th an¬ 
nual report of the first president of the James river and Kanawha coffin 
pany, which tends to conflict with the views of policy for this road, 
which have been expressed above, but suppressing in the publication 
subsequent passages to be found in the 7th and 11th annual reports, 
which tend to sustain and recommend these views. 

What were the precise objects of the movers in asking this garbled 
publication from the house is not mentioned in the account given of 
the proceedings, and therefore, cannot be precisely stated. But as one 
of these objects, probably, was that of quieting the apprehensions of 
the legislature on the ’score of expense, by bringing again into view 
the scheme of a railway recommended in the chief engineer’s report 
in the year ’38, it is proper to glance at the prominent details of this 
plan, and to test its utility and fitness for the contemplated route, by 
reference to the practical standards of the present day. 

It should be here premised that the chief engineer was at that time 
operating in the service, not of the great state of Virginia, but of a pri- 


33 


vate corporation possessing means very limited in proportion to the 
magnitude of the work proposed to be executed ; and that the task be¬ 
fore him, was one, to say the least, both difficult and perplexing, 
namely : to suggest the scheme of a railway, which, while it would 
be efficient for the objects and purposes in view, would at the same 
time possess the merit of being cheap and economical, so as not to 
exceed, if practicable, the original estimate of $20,000 per mile. 

Thus situated, and with such commendable objects, the chief engi¬ 
neer of the company (Mr. Ellet) devised and recommended the scheme 
of a railway contained in his report of 1838, of which a summary 
sketch is given in the passage of the 4th annual report, recently prin¬ 
ted by order of the house of delegates. 

The principal means by which Mr. Ellet proposed to himself to ac¬ 
complish the difficult and, indeed, really irreconcilable objects before 
him, were—the suppression of a second track for the road—the adop¬ 
tion of a cheap superstructure consisting of a flat bar % of an inch 
thick and two inches wide, with supporting timbers adapted to it— 
the use of heavy locomotives varying in weight from 15 to 20, and 
perhaps 25 tons; and above all, by the reduction of the motion of the 
locomotives to an ordinary average speed not exceeding six and a half 
miles per hour. 

By the reduction of the speed to this very low limit, the engineer 
calculated that engines of the great weight here specified, might be 
used upon such a superstructure as the one proposed ; that by means of 
such engines, heavy trains could be safely moved and their number 
consequently greatly diminished, and that, by this diminution in their 
number and frequency, their movement might be simplified and regu¬ 
lated, so as to make it practicable to conduct the whole business of the 
line without the occurrence of the danger and accidents which are in¬ 
cident to more numerous trains moving at higher speed upon a single 
track. 

This plan then presents a chain of advantages growing out of each 
other, but all springing originally from the reduction of the speed of 
the locomotives, as a primary cause. Strike out of this chain the re¬ 
duction of speed, and then the heavy locomotives could not run upon 
the light superstructure of this road. Strike out the heavy locomo¬ 
tive, and then these heavy trains could not be put in motion. Strike 
out the heavy trains, and then the diminution in the number and fre¬ 
quency of trains could not be obtained. Finally, strike out,the dimi¬ 
nution in the number and frequency of trains, and then the great sim¬ 
plicity, perfect regularity and high discipline, which the engineer ad¬ 
mits to be indispensable in order to guard against the dangers and ac¬ 
cidents incident to the transport of a large business upon a single track, 
and conducted by locomotives moving at high speed could no longer 
exist. t 

In confirmation of this statement, let the chief engineer’s own re¬ 
port speak for him. 

“ The design of the James river and Kanawha improvement 
[says he at page 443 of the report,] is to afford an outlet to the heavy 
productions of the west , and the merchandize purchased in the east; 

5 


34 


and a line of canal and railroad is adopted for that purpose , in the 
hope that the reduced cost of transportation will admit the accomplish¬ 
ment of the design. The amount of success depends on ( the amount 
of this reduction, and the measure of the degree of perfection attained 
in the establishment of the improvement, is represented by the sum 
that the cost of freight is reduced. 

As a means of reaching the object of the company, I would pro¬ 
pose, that instead of emulating! the exertions of other lines for the at¬ 
tainment of high velocities, we aim at the speed ivhich, under the 
circumstances, will produce the greatest economy of transportation. 
This speed, I think, will be found to be less than 7 miles per hour on 
all parts of the line, and less than 6 miles per hour on the heavier 
grades 

That the speed here proposed was intended to be applicable to pas¬ 
sengers as well as to freights, appears to be an inference justified both 
by the general tenor of the report, and by the system of regulation 
and government contemplated for the work, and it is moreover de¬ 
monstrable from the fact that the traction of passenger trains by en¬ 
gines weighing from 15 to 20 tons, and moving at the usual speed of 
such trains upon other lines, would be rapidly destructive of the super¬ 
structure of the road. 

It appears from the facts and circumstances here presented, that the 
plan under consideration, in order to secure the great and primary ob¬ 
ject of an efficient and cheap freighting line, calls for a heavy conces¬ 
sion on the part of the passenger department, in the important item of 
time. 

But the plan subjects this important interest to still another more 
material sacrifice in the more important item of the personal safety of 
the passengers. 

In proceeding to assign his reasons for the suppression of the second 
track, the chief engineer commences as follows : 

“ It is my intention to endeavour to demonstrate the sufficiency of a 
single track for all the objects of the trade. But as it cannot be de¬ 
nied that there are inconveniences liable to result from the suppression 
of the additional way, arid at the same time that the cost of construc¬ 
tion and maintenance of the road will undoubtedly be diminished by 
its rejection, it is essential to form some idea of the value of these op¬ 
posing considerations .” 

This candid confession on the part of the chief engineer, is followed 
by a detailed calculation of the saving to the company, both in the 
prime cost and the annual charges of the work, by the proposed sup¬ 
pression of the second track, but it is unaccompanied by any specifica¬ 
tion of the inconveniences to which he alludes. 

A portion of these inconveniences, however, are brought into view, 
in a subsequent report upon the same subject, by another engineer. 

In his report, in the fall of 1841, [page 69] in regard to the proper plan 
of a railway, if one should be introduced upon this part of the line, 
Mr. Gill speaks as follows : 

“ With due deference to the views which have heretofore been presen¬ 
ted to, and acted on by the board of directors, I beg leave respectfully 


35 


to state my conviction, that in case the plan of a railroad from Coving¬ 
ton to Loup creek shoals be adhered to, the trade of an improvement 
such as the James river and Kanawha is destined to be—intersecting 
the main artery of the 1 far west? inviting the vast products of that 
region to pass through its channel to the nearest market on the sea 
board, and furnishing a transit, when rival improvements are locked 
up by ice and snow—requires that the road should be constructed on 
the most substantial and durable plan, and ought not to be limited to 
a single track. I will add, that a single track along the New river 
cliffs is highly objectionable for another reason. The road will be con¬ 
stantly liable to obstruction from the falling of rock, and in winter of 
ice and snow, from the cliffs above. The delays necessary for the re¬ 
moval of these, on the one hand, and on the other, the liability of train 
conductors to be influenced and urged on by the impatience and com¬ 
plaints of passengers thus delayed, unit tend greatly to disturb any ar¬ 
rangement for the regular passing, at turnouts, of trains approaching 
each other from opposite directions, and subject them to the danger of 
collision on the abrupt curves around the cliff's. From these conside¬ 
rations, I regard a permanent railroad with a double track and an H 
rail of malleable iron, as the only one entitled to be brought into the 
comparison which I am now conducting, and I accordingly proceed to 
estimate the cost of such an improvement .” 

It may not be amiss here to mention, that in the course of the three 
years which intervened between the two reports of 1838 and 1841, 
and under the influence of new lights of experience bursting in oil 
every side from other states, the mind of the first president of the 
company became deeply impressed with a growing sense of the disad¬ 
vantages of a broken line of improvement, and of the vast superiority 
of a continuous water line; insomuch that in August 1841, he came 
to the conclusion to recommend to the stockholders the plan for ac¬ 
complishing the latter object, which is to be found in the 4th annual 
report, [page 24-40] provided the relative cost of the two opposite sys¬ 
tems should be conformable to the impressions which he then enter¬ 
tained. The amended plan, here referred to, proposed to abandon al¬ 
together the contemplated railway as an integral part of the improve¬ 
ment, and to bring up the water line, on the western side to Green¬ 
brier bridge, with the view of its ultimate completion by the aid of 
the state; but in the mean time to connect it with the head of the ca¬ 
nal at Covington, by means of a Macadamized road placed upon the 
company’s turnpike, between the bridge and that point. If he could 
be well assured that the substitution of this extension of the water 
line, under this modification as a temporary expedient, would not cost 
more than a suitable railway from Covington to Loup creek shoals, 
the first president of the company determined to assume the respon¬ 
sibility of proposing the change, and it was to test this question, and 
to guide his action and that of fhe board upon the subject, that the 
survey of 1841 was authorized. 

It was late in the season, before this survey could be commenced. 
It was made in the course of one month, commencing on the 4th 
October, and ending on the 4th of November, and it resulted in shew- 


4 


36 


ing, according to the estimates reported, that the proposed substituted 
line would cost less than a railway. [4th annual report, pages 01-70, 
also 73.] 

The time in which this survey was made being barely sufficient to 
provide the estimates upon the water line, Mr. Gill was consequently 
unable to couple with it a new survey of the middle route for a rail¬ 
way. He therefore assumed the estimate of the previous survey of 
1838, for the grading of a single track, as a basis of calculation, and 
proceeded to make his estimate of the cost of a double track furnished 
with an edge rail of 45 lbs. to the yard, and with an addition to the 
equipments proportioned to the increased dimensions of the road. 

Judge Wright, who at the period of this survey, was still the con¬ 
sulting engineer of the company, visited the line in company with the 
president, in the course of its progress, and approved Mr. Gill’s report; 
and the president and directors communicated the report to the legis¬ 
lature, in December 1841, as the basis of the application then made, 
for an amendment of the charter, authorizing the proposed change in 
the plan of the improvement. 

It thus appears, that whilst the survey of 1841 conclusively proves 
that a double track and edge rail, were deemed indispensable to a suita¬ 
ble railway between Covington and Loup creek shoals, it furnishes, 
when properly explained, in conformity to the actual facts of the case, 
no additional evidence to sustain the estimates of cost for the plan pro¬ 
posed in 1838. Mr. Gill, who is still upon the line of the work, was 
impressed with the belief, in 1841, and maintains it still, that a re¬ 
survey and re-examination of the ground would shew that the esti¬ 
mates of 1838, for grading and forming the road bed, were materially 
deficient in point of amount. 

The question then arises, whether the plan of 1838, which, if pro¬ 
perly understood, can only be regarded as a plan ingeniously devised 
by the engineer, and temporarily approved by the board, as the best 
practicable expedient for reducing to a minimum limit the cost of com¬ 
plying with the company’s chartered obligations—a scheme which, in 
these times of high and accelerating speed, would call for the move¬ 
ment of passengers at the rate of 6£ miles per hour, and by its defec¬ 
tive adaptation to the physical character of the line, makes inadequate 
provision for the safety of human life—a scheme too, which appears 
to have been for upwards of ten years before the public, without being 
any where adopted and reduced to practice ; whether a project of such 
novel and peculiar features as this, is a fit model for a great state work, 
and a safe basis for the investment of millions of the people’s money. 

May not the question be also asked, by the way, with what sort of 
grace, dignity or consistency, does such an invitation come from per¬ 
sons, who so obviously are aiming, in conjunction with one of our 
railroad companies, to provide a great thoroughfare for travel between 
the east and the west, to operate in competition with rival lines through 
other states ? 

It is to be hoped if the legislature of Virginia could so far forget 
what is due to the James river and Kanawha company, and to the 
state, as to compel the company’s submission to the introduction of an 


37 


inferior in preference to a superior style of improvement for the wes¬ 
tern part of the route; that it would give its sanction to no plan of 
railway that would sink below the general level, and especially that of 
the competing lines with which it would have to contend. 

Upon the whole view of the subject, it seems unavoidable that, if a 
fit and suitable railway for the location in question, should ever be pro¬ 
vided as a state work, it must be a railway of the second class in the 
series of railways which has been specified above; that is to say, a 
railway furnished with a double track and an edge rail, and with equip¬ 
ments proportioned to such a structure and to the magnitude of the 
business to be done. 

The next enquiry is, as to the cost of such a road from Covington 
to Loup creek shoals. 

It is impossible to arrive at perfect accuracy. Under such circum¬ 
stances, we can only approximate the truth. But this will suffice for 
the object in view. 

In this case, as in regard to another branch of the subject, let us 
turn from speculation to experience, and quote well authenticated evi¬ 
dence from works of similar character in other states, where the natu¬ 
ral difficulties of the routes, are not superior to those upon the Vir¬ 
ginia route. No part of the United States presents more suitable sub¬ 
jects of comparison than the New England states; because the locali¬ 
ties are not rougher or more unfavourable, and the people are prover¬ 
bially skilful and economical. 

We will first take a line in the low country of Massachusetts, and 
as remarkable for the ability of its administration as any in the state. 

In the series of queries propounded by the late Mr. Chittenden to 
Mr. Parker, the superintendent, and Mr. Hale, the president of the 
Boston and Worcester road, which have already been referred to; the 
11th and 12th, with the answers thereto were as follows: 

“ 1 1th enquiry. Is not a double track regarded as highly impor¬ 
tant, if not indispensable , on a railroad doing a heavy freight busi¬ 
ness ? 

“ Answer by the same” (Viz : by Mr. Parker.) u Decidedly so” 
(The president said the same.) 

“ Ylth enquiry. What is considered as a fair average cost of such 
a road with rails of sufficient weight for the use of locomotives of 20 
tons V y 

“ Answer by the same. We reckon our largest locomotives at only 
19 tons.* For such a road as ours, I should say , $ 30,000, £ as the 
world goes .’ ( On my enquiry, Mr. Parker explained the phrase ‘ as 

the world goes,’ as referring to the amount which would usually be 
set down in preliminary estimates with a view to obtaining stock sub¬ 
scriptions. The Boston and Worcester road had cost more. I would 
see by the reports , that the cost of construction had amounted to near 
three millions of dollars; but it was to be observed that this sum in¬ 
cluded the cost of the two termini at Boston and Worcester , which in - 

# The answer to the 9th query, relative to the weight of the engines used on the 
road was as follows: “ On the old track, the rail is 40 lbs. per yard, knoivn as the T rail 
in chairs. On the new track , it is 60 to 63 lbs. to the yard, known as the H rail, ( £).” 



38 


eluding land, filling, depots, shops, &jc., had amounted to some 8 or 9 
hundred thousand dollars. Moreover, my experience in these matters, 
he said, would enable me to understand, that in a case where part of 
a line was in operation, while another portion was unfinished, there 
was a dijficulty in accurately discriminating from original construc¬ 
tion, the cost of repairs, reconstruction, correction of errors, Spc., until 
every thing was ship-shape, and had got into regular operation. 

In the report of the 31s£ January 1845, at page 3, the cost of con¬ 
struction is stated at $2,914,078 08. Call the road 44.6 miles long , 
and its cost must have been $ 65,338 per mile. Allow $ 850,000 for 
the cost of the two termini, and deduct this from the whole cost; there 
remains a cost per mile of $ 46,300. I saw Mr. Hale in Boston, 
when he was on the wing for a journey. I met him- again at the As- 
tor House, in New York some 20 minutes before my departure for the 
south. Both my interviews, therefore, were necessarily hurried. In 
the last, I asked him your twelfth question. His off-hand answer was 
that, the cost of the superstructure and rails for such a road might be 
set down as a fixed sum, say about $ 30,000j?er mile. The grading 
would vary according to the face of the country through which the 
work was carried, and the equipments according to the amount of bu¬ 
siness done on the line.'j) 

It appears from the preceding statement of Mr. Chittenden, which is 
founded on information derived directly from the officers of the com¬ 
pany, that inclusive of the company’s depots at the two termini of the 
road in Boston and Worcester, this railway cost $65,338 per mile, and 
that, exclusive of the cost of these depots, assumed by him at the 
high sum of $850,000, it cost $46,300 per mile. The statement 
here presented sufficed for the object which Mr. Chittenden had in 
view for the president of his company, which was to prove that a rail¬ 
road of double track, even in the more level parts of Massachusetts, 
would cost upwards of $40,000 per mile. But in reference to the 
question now under consideration, as to the probable cost of a double 
track railway from Covington to Loup creek shoals, it is altogether 
proper, in citing the cost of the Boston and Worcester road as a guide 
to a correct decision, not to throw out of the statement the cost of the 
depots, at the two termini; for these depots, although upon a large 
scale, both as to buildings and grounds, are indispensable to the proper 
management of the business of the road, insomuch, that without them, 
it could not be conducted at all. It is the more proper not to omit the 
depots in the statement, because, if a railway should be thrust into 
our line, as a constituent part of the work, it would bring with it by 
the plan of the engineer, spacious and costly depots and warehouses, 
at the two termini of the road, in order to conduct the transhipments 
of the trade, which it would there render necessary. It is but just, 
however, to remark, that on account of the high value of property in 
the towns of Boston.and Worcester, some deduction should be made 
from this item in the statement, with a view to approximate to the 
general value of similar property in other parts of the state. If we 
throw off one half the $850,000, which is deducted by Mr. Chitten¬ 
den as the cost of the depots, and retain the other half, then the rail- 


39 


road, by the statement thus modified, will appear to have cost about 
$ 56, 000 per mile. 

The statement with this addition for depots annexed, is corroborated 
by the estimate of Mr. Hale, of a proper superstructure for a substan¬ 
tial and durable double track road. This alone, he puts down at 
$30,000; and he is so confident in the correctness of the estimate, 
that he authorizes it to be assumed in all such calculations, as “ a fixed 
sum.” If to this sum, there be added only an equal amount, for the 
road way, masonry, buildings, lands, &c., it brings up the cost to 
$ 60,000 per mile. 

It may not be inappropriate, in this place, to advert to the apparent 
difference between the evidence relative to the cost of the superstruc¬ 
ture, here quoted, as coming from Mr. Hale, and that furnished by the 
first president of the James river and Kanawha company in his 11th 
annual report. In this report [at page 604J the latter stated as follows : 

“ Whilst at the north , I learnt from the best sources of information , 
that for a large business in travel and freight, a double track ivas 
deemed indispensable , and that a superstructure for a single track , 
with a rail of even not more than 56 or 60 pounds to the yard , adap¬ 
ted to the action of the modern improved locomotive , would cost not less 
than $ 10,000 per mile.” This officer is understood to have deter¬ 
mined to make no statement in his report, which could not be per¬ 
fectly sustained ; and he was the more willing to impart the informa¬ 
tion in the guarded terms, in which it had been communicated to him¬ 
self, because he deemed it possible that the greater cheapness of tim¬ 
ber at the south, might influence the question, although no such quali¬ 
fication was annexed to the (Communication by those from whom it 
was originally received. 

It is apposite here to quote also from the report just referred to, 
what is said [at page 604] in regard to the progressive rise., in the 
weight of rails, on both sides of the Atlantic, in the course of the last 
ten or fifteen years. “ The rail,” (says the report) “ upon the most ap¬ 
proved railroads in Great Britain has gone up from 28 pounds per 
yard to 80 pounds, and inclusive of chairs and fastenings, to 100 
pounds ; and in this country, from the light plate rail of 10 pounds to 
the yard, to the edge rail weighing from 56 to 60 pounds per yard; 
whilst the engines in both countries have been increased from 5 to 18 
and 24 tons weight ” And to this it is proper to add that the recent 
experience of the Baltimore road, tends to shew, that the class of heavy 
engines, will require a still further upward progress in the weight of 
rails, so that probably a rail of less than 75 lbs. to the yard, would be 
unsuitable for the Virginia route, upon which large amounts of mine¬ 
ral products would have to be conveyed. 

It may be said, however, that a question of such high interest as 
the one now under consideration, cannot fairly be tested by the expe¬ 
rience of a particular work, or the opinions of its officers and agents, 
however respectable and intelligent. To meet the objection, let us 
appeal to the general experience of the state of Massachusetts. 

Fortunately, upon this subject, we have recently been furnished 
with information upon evidence of such weight and authority that it 
cannot be invalidated or even drawn into question. 


40 


It appears from the recent debate in the senate of the United States, 
relative to the proposed railway across the Isthmus of Panama, that 
the able superintendent of the Topographical Bureau, in the depart¬ 
ment of war, (Col. Abert,) in obedience to instructions, addressed a 
letter to the senate, or to one of its committees, in regard to the Pa¬ 
nama road, in which he had occasion to state the cost of the single 
track railroads in the New England states. In the absence of the let¬ 
ter itself, which has not yet appeared in the public prints of Virginia, 
we may gather its substance and import from the following extract 
from Mr. Webster’s speech upon the Panama bill : 

The estimated cost of the road, according to Col. Abert, is five mil¬ 
lions of dollars, or thereabouts; that is to say, Col. Abert begins by 
stating the average cost of railroads in the New England states, at 
forty-nine or fifty thousand dollars per mile. He allows fifty per cent, 
additional cost for the nature of the country, the distance of the place , 
and other causes naturally augmenting the cost of constructing the 
road. Taking the distance to be fifty-two miles, the result is a cost for 
one track of § 3,815,000. Another track is half a million more, so 
that together, they make $ 4,315,000.” 

From Mr. Webster’s remarks, we have a right to infer that the state¬ 
ment of Col. Abert had reference only to roads of single track. But 
if this construction be erroneous, the error would have but slight in¬ 
fluence on the question at issue ; for of the railroads of New England, 
which were all constructed by private companies, and not by the state, 
but a small proportion as yet are furnished with a double track. 

Another source of information upon this subject, may here be quo¬ 
ted : The president of the New York anci Erie railroad company, (Ben¬ 
jamin Loder, Esq.,) in his report to the stockholders on the 3d June 
last, states as follows: “ Massachusetts has in operation within her 
limits , 728 miles of railroads, costing about $> 35,000,000, or about 
$ 50,000 per mile.” 

Such is the general experience of the New England states, and of 
Massachusetts in particular. 

Strong examples might be cited from the middle states, if time were 
allowed. But passing by others, which might be cited, let us glance 
at two roads now in progress in New York, which furnish the most 
admonitory lessons. The first of these is the Hudson river railroad, 
which has a double track in the upper and lower divisions, but, for the 
present, only a single track through the highlands, which occupy the 
central division and constitute the most difficult portion of the route. 
This work is situated along the north bank of the Hudson, except in 
the upper section, where it leaves the river for some miles, and passes 
through a country of ordinary character, and one regarded by the en¬ 
gineer as favourable to the location and construction of the work. 
The engineer is J. J. Jervis, who executed the celebrated New York 
water-works, who for good judgment and professional skill, may chal¬ 
lenge a comparison with any other engineer in our country. In the 
speech of Mr. Webster, above quoted, he refers to this road, and re¬ 
marks : “ The Hudson river railroad, it is said, has cost about fifty 
thousand dollars a mile.” 


41 


The other very striking and instructive example alluded to above, 
is that of the New York and Erie railroad, which is to connect the 
city of New York with lake Erie at Dunkirk, by a line through the 
southern tier of counties of that state. This case merits the more at¬ 
tention, because the route is similar in object and character to ours, 
and the work was originally surveyed and estimated by Judge Wright 
and Mr. Ellet, as his most active and able assistant, in the year 1834, 
being the same engineers who made or approved the survey and esti¬ 
mate of the Virginia route between Covington and Loup creek shoals, 
in the year 1838. 

This line, as then measured from Piermont on the Hudson, (24 
miles north of the city hall,) to Dunkirk on the lake, amounted to 
483 miles in length. The plan was to grade for a double track, but 
to begin with a single one, laid with a plate rail. The estimate made 
by Judge Wright and his assistants, of the cost of the work, if exe¬ 
cuted upon this plan, was $ 4,762,260, or $ 9,860 per mile. It is due 
to these engineers to state, that they were canal and not railroad en¬ 
gineers, and that this appears to have been the first railroad upon which 
either was engaged. Much skill, however, is said to have been evinced 
by them, in selecting the line and in choosing the proper ground. The 
estimate was, doubtless, made with the most perfect good faith, and 
appeared to give great satisfaction at the time. The result, however, 
demonstrates the absurdity of going back, at the present day, to esti¬ 
mates made at that early period, when the railway system was in its 
infancy in America, in order to bring up plans and estimates to serve 
as a guide to the legislature of Virginia. 

Now it would appear from a statement in a leading paper in the 
city of New York, the Herald of the 19th of December, that this com¬ 
pany has had, in various forms, funds to the amount of $ 13,150,000, 
and that the whole has been expended, and only two hundred miles 
of the road finished, making the cost $65,750 per mile; and the edi¬ 
tor challenges investigation into the facts of the case. It is proper to 
state, that this representation has been assailed by another paper in the 
city of New York, and that as yet the company has not noticed the 
article in an official form. Enough, however, is known, to give good 
ground for the belief, that the cost of the road thus far exceeds $ 50,000 
per mile, that is to say, more than five times the original estimate. It 
should be observed, however, that this excess of cost has arisen in 
part from the change of plan, in regard to the weight of the rail, which 
has already been noticed, (and perhaps, also, from other changes in 
point of plan or location,) but this would not diminish the force of the 
lesson conveyed by this example to Virginia, because the plan of 1838 
embraces a rail similar to that first adopted and introduced on the line 
of the New York and Erie railway. 

It is impossible to estimate with accuracy, the actual cost of a rail¬ 
way of double track, and heavy rail, from Covington to Loup creek 
shoals. The evidence which has been adduced, as furnished by the 
New England states, would warrant the conclusion, that upon the 150 
miles between the points here mentioned, without including in the ac- 
6 


42 


count any of the proposed tunnels, except that at the Alleghany, a 
railway of single track and heavy rail, would not fall short of $ 50,000 
per mile. If this be correct, then a road of double track, with similar 
rails, would be proportionably greater. The subject is of such magni¬ 
tude in all its bearings, that if there be really any disposition to fa¬ 
vourable action on the bill, it becomes the duty of all prudent friends 
of the state, to urge at least, as a necessary preliminary, the immediate 
institution of a careful survey of the proposed route, by men of the 
highest experience and skill in America; such men as Jonathan 
Knight, John Childe and J. J. Jervis, possessing all the requisite qua¬ 
lifications, without any interest or known bias upon the subject to be 
investigated. 

In the mean time, upon the evidence here exhibited, we may safely 
assume, that such an estimate for a road of double track and heavy 
rail, when finished and completed for the 150 miles between Coving¬ 
ton and Loup creek shoals, and exclusive of all the tunnels but the 
one at the Alleghany, would not be less than $60,000 per mile, mak¬ 
ing for the whole work, the sum of nine millions of dollars. 

But in order to present an estimate to which no objection could be 
made, except by such as are blinded by enthusiasm or seduced by in¬ 
terest, let the supposed cost of this railway be reduced to $ 50,000 
per mile; which, as has been shewn, is about the cost of the single 
track railways in the New England states. Even upon this supposi¬ 
tion, the aggregate cost would amount to $7,500,000. 

Now let it be borne in mind, that the whole of this vast sum of 
money, is to come from the state alone, without any contribution 
whatsoever from private sources; and it is also to be sunk in the work 
as a permanent investment. It follows necessarily, that if we allow 
the very liberal term of seven years for the construction of the work, 
the state for the whole period, will have to raise upwards of a million 
a year. Moreover, she will have to provide the interest upon the loans 
from the public treasury, and continue to do so until the road shall 
have ceased to be an insulated work, either by its extension to the 
east and west, or by the completion of the steam boat line upon the 
Kanawha as high up as Loup creek shoals, and by the continuation of 
the canal from Buchanan to Covington. 

If contrary to all probability, the legislature should be actually dis¬ 
posed to commit the state to so heavy an expenditure upon the central 
line, the question arises whether it would not be more conducive to 
the welfare of the state to decline the construction of the proposed 
railway, and to subscribe the amount, or so much of it as may be ne¬ 
cessary, to the capital stock of the James river and Kanawha company, 
for the purpose of completing the water line of its improvement to the 
Ohio river. 

The sum which the railway would cost by the preceding reduced 
estimate of $ 7,500,000, would appear to be ample for the purpose of 
completing the water line, upon the plan recommended in the 7th an¬ 
nual report of the first president, according to the estimates made in 
the year 1841, by Mr. Gill, then chief engineer, and Judge Wright, 


43 


then consulting engineer, of the company. It is as follows: [11th Ann. 
Rep. 606.] 


From Buchanan to Covington, 54.64 miles, - - 1,468,867 

From Covington to Greenbrier bridge, including tunnels, 

33.00 miles,. 2,167,400 

From Greenbrier bridge to the Ohio, 206.52 miles, - 3,301,955 

Contingencies, - 300,000 


Total, $ 7,238,222 


Such a subscription on the part of the state could no longer be rea¬ 
sonably opposed upon the ground of the impracticability of carrying 
the water line across the Alleghany, for the want of a sufficient supply 
of water on the summit level. This objection has been refuted, by 
the last report of the present chief engineer of the company, commu¬ 
nicating the favourable results of his enquiries upon this subject, con¬ 
tinued for upwards of two years. 

Let a brief comparative survey be now taken of the character and 
consequences of these rival modes of investment. 

The details of the plan proposed for the completion of the water 
line, being set forth in the 7th annual report, [page 24 to 40,] and be¬ 
ing generally understood, will not be repeated. It must not be for¬ 
gotten, however, that the report referred to demonstrates clearly that 
the completion of the main water line, as therein proposed, would be 
speedily followed by a tributary line upon the upper New river, com¬ 
mencing in the form of the old batteaux navigation on James river, 
and ending speedily in a horse power improvement, similar to that on 
the mountainous section of the principal work. 

If the plan here referred to should be carried out, and the canal 
slightly improved in its depth, in the easy and economical manner 
which is explained in the supplement to the 11th annual report, [page 
640,] then the following magnificent results would ensue : 

1. All the great rivers of the state would be connected together by 
an unbroken line of inland navigation, of sufficient depth to float boats 
of 100 tons burthen; so that with the aid of tow boats upon our tide 
water rivers, and upon the Kanawha and Ohio, a boat of this large ca¬ 
pacity, might be started from any point upon one of these great rivers, 
and pass to any point on either of the others, whether in the east or 
the west, without breaking bulk, or encountering a single tranship¬ 
ment. 

2. Through the medium of these principal channels and the tribu¬ 
tary navigable streams connected with them, our system of uninter¬ 
rupted inland navigation might be made to cover the whole surface of 

* the state. 

3. By the aid of tow boats on the Kanawha, our system of canal 
navigation could be made to comprehend in its sphere, the canal navi¬ 
gation, in the states north of the Ohio, without intermediate tranship¬ 
ment or breaking of bulk. 

4. By means of an easy and convenient mode of transhipment, at 
the proposed basin near the mouth of Greenbrier, and of steamboats 





44 


of 175 tons burthen, (of which the locks between that point and the 
Ohio would be susceptible,) our line of navigation would reach through¬ 
out the Mississippi river and its branches, so as to give to our sphere 
of trade an almost illimitable extent. 

5. Our route would present the only continuous water line, and in 
all probability would continue the only one, between the east and the 
west, from the Hudson to the gulf of Mexico, and would pass through 
the heart of the state, and strike the Atlantic about midway on the 
coast, and the Ohio river, about midway of that stream; and, more¬ 
over, would be obstructed by ice on the summit level not more than 
about 25 days in the year—a period that might be advantageously 
employed in the repairs of the works. 

6. Upon the completion of the line, and when in operation, with 
a full business, and competition at its height, the expense of transpor¬ 
tation, inclusive of both freight and tolls, would probably range as low 
as one cent per ton per mile. 

7. Our line of continuous water communication, being the shortest 
and cheapest water line between the west and the Atlantic border, 
could not fail to compete successfully with the rival lines. 

8. The stock of the company would consequently be profitable. 

9. Upon the completion of the line, the state would be able to sell 
out her portion of the capital, at par value, and appropriate a part to 
the creation of a sinking fund, to be applied to the gradual extinguish¬ 
ment of her canal debt, and turn over the residue towards the improve¬ 
ment of other parts of the state. 

In this splendid list of matchless advantages resulting to the state 
from the completion of the water line, only one—namely, the 6th— 
with any show of reason, could be denied or brought into question. 
But let the enlargement of the New York and Erie canal be comple¬ 
ted, so as to permit the ready movement of boats of 100 tons, and up¬ 
wards, without the present crowding and harassing delays at the 
locks; let the Chesapeake and Ohio canal be finished up to Cumber¬ 
land, and a full business be moving in a vast throng of boats, hotly 
competing for the tonnage, and the question will be settled affirma¬ 
tively to the satisfaction of the most incredulous. 

In a recent visit to the City of Richmond, the able engineer of the 
latter work, Mr. Fisk, was interrogated as to the correctness of the pre¬ 
ceding statement, in reference to that canal, to which he replied, that 
he had not a doubt upon the subject. The cost of transportation on 
the Erie canal, had fallen in 1845, to about this low limit, and doubt¬ 
less would have continued so, but for the vast and rapid increase of 
the tonnage since that time and the inadequate dimensions of the old 
work and its accompanying locks. Even upon the James river and 
Kanawha canal between Richmond and Lynchburg, where, from the 
limited amount of freight, the freighting business cannot be sufficient 
to bring down the price, to its minimum limit, the charge for freight 
proper on heavy articles , had already fallen in the spring of 1848, to a 
half cent per ton per mile , and probably continues so, up to the pre¬ 
sent time. It is the necessity of high tolls upon a limited trade, which 
causes the cost of transportation to maintain its present high level. 
The present state of things will be reversed, if the water line should 


45 


be completed ; instead of high 'tolls upon a small trade, this work will 
present very low tolls upon a very large trade. 

Far different, however, would be the results, if instead of carrying 
out the water line, its continuity should be broken, by the introduction 
of a railroad portage, between Covington and the head of steamboat 
navigation on the Kanawha. No better mode of illustrating these re¬ 
sults can be employed than to apply to the improvement, under this 
modification, the preceding series of statements, in a negative, instead 
of an affirmative form, as follows: 

1. All the great rivers of the state would not be connected together 
by an unbroken line of inland navigation of sufficient depth to float 
boats of 100 tons burthen. Such boats, if started from any point on 
our eastern waters, would be obliged to stop at Covington, tranship 
their cargoes and return. In like manner, boats coming from the lower 
Kanawha and upper New river, would be obliged to stop and tranship, 
the former at Loup creek shoals, and the latter at the mouth of Green¬ 
brier. 

2. Through the medium of the principal channels and the principal 
navigable streams connected with them, our system of inland naviga¬ 
tion would not be uninterrupted, because the line of these principal 
channels would not be continuous, and consequently, one great system 
of unbroken and connected inland navigation, could not be made to 
cover the whole surface of the state. 

3. Encumbered with a railroad portage of 150 miles, and a double 
transhipment of the tonnage passing over it, one great connected and 
unbroken system of canal navigation, could not be formed by the ca¬ 
nals of Virginia, and those of the states north of the Ohio. 

4. The canal navigation of Eastern Virginia, would be separated 
from the steam navigation of the Ohio and Mississippi by a land route 
of 150 miles, accompanied by two transhipments, instead of coming 
into immediate contact with each other in a basin at the mouth of 
Greenbrier, so as to admit the transfer of cargoes immediately from 
vessel to vessel, without the necessity of storage. 

5. Our route would not possess the enviable distinction of being the 
only continuous water line from east to west, between the Hudson 
river and the gulf of Mexico. 

6. Upon the completion of the improvement in this broken form, 
and with all the business and competition that could be brought upon 
it, the expense of transportation, inclusive of both freight and tolls, 
would never sink to one cent per ton per mile, but would probably 
range from two to three times this amount. 

7. Our line of improvement thus broken in the centre by a railroad 
portage of 150 miles, with a transhipment at each end of this portage 
of all the tonnage passing over it, would fail to compete-successfully 
with the rival lines through other states. 

8. The stock of the company would consequently prove unprofita¬ 
ble. 

9. Upon the completion of the line, in this broken form, the state 
would not be able to sell out her portion of the capital stock at par 
value, and appropriate a part to the creation of a sinking fund, for the 
purpose of extinguishing her canal debt, and turn oyer the balance of 


46 


the money to'the people of the other sections of the state, to be han¬ 
dled by them in turn towards the improvement of these sections. It 
would probably be an unproductive stock, yielding but little revenue 
and far below par. 

If the latter series of propositions be true, and it is confidently be¬ 
lieved that they are so, and that time and experiment would demon¬ 
strate their truth, it would seem, that the introduction of a railway be¬ 
tween Covington and Loup creek shoals, as a constituent part of the 
line through Virginia, would not merely saddle the state with a debt 
of $ 7,500,000, but that it would cause the failure of her greatest im¬ 
provement, and thereby perpetuate the unproductiveness of her pre¬ 
sent stock. 

Before passing, however, from the subject of a portage railway from 
Covington to Loup creek shoals, it may be well to advert briefly to the 
very striking illustration of the ruinous effects of transhipment upon 
lines of trade, which is to be found in Mr. Webster’s speech on the 
proposed railroad across the isthmus of Panama. 

It had been shewn by the report of Mr. T. Butler King, of Geor¬ 
gia, upon the subject of this railroad, that the distance from New York 
to Canton, in China, by the way of the cape of Good Hope, is 19,500 
miles, and by the way of cape Horn, 21,500; whilst the distance from 
New York to Canton by the way of the proposed Panama railroad, 
would be only 10,200; so that the saving in the length of the voyage 
by the Panama route, over the route by the way of the cape of Good 
Hope, would be 9,300 miles, and over the route by the way of cape 
Horn, 11,300. It appears'also, that the railroad at the isthmus would 
be only 52 miles long, and that it is intended to be a road of the first 
class, with the best accommodations for transhipment, at the termini at 
Chagres and Panama. 

In despite, however, of all this, Mr. Webster, in the speech from 
which we quote, makes the following statements : 

“ I know it is the opinion of gentlemen engaged in the wfaaie fish¬ 
ery , that their cargoes will not bear transhipment; that it will be 
found cheaper for them to fdllow the track around the cape —Again he 
states: “ Experienced merchants do not credit the suggestion that the 
China trade will ever use the projected railroad 

Thus it appears that a railway of about only one-third of the length 
of the .proposed railway from Covington to Loup creek shoals, together 
with the transhipments at its two termini, although it is to be a rail¬ 
way of the highest order, with a heavy rail, and the most perfect and • 
spacious accommodations for transhipping the cargoes of ships, is such 
an obstacle in the way of trade, as to drive a vessel ten thousand miles 
further by a continuous line of uninterrupted navigation, through 
stormy and dangerous seas. Is it not then perfectly reasonable to be¬ 
lieve, that a portage railway, of three times the length on our route 
with two transhipments at its termini, would have a tendency to 
drive the western trade around by the way of the gulf or through the 
northern lakes? 

If such be the prospects of the proposed railway from Covington to 
Loup creek shoals as a substitute for a continuous water line, what may 
we expect from it, as an avenue for the transit of passengers. Even if it 


47 


were extended to Charleston, mad were to meet the Kanawha steam¬ 
boats as low down the river as that point, could it be reasonably ex¬ 
pected to attract travel beyond the limited amount coming from the 
Ohio to the mineral waters among our mountains, and the present 
small number of our citizens passing between our eastern and western 
counties. Unless with views to the objects here specified, no travel¬ 
ler moving tip the Ohio would take the stage at Guyandotte or come 
around through the circuitous route by the mouth of the Kanawha to 
reach this railway at Charleston or at Loup creek shoals. With like 
exceptions, no traveller moving from the east would encounter the fa¬ 
tigue of the stages above the head of the canal at Buchanan, or the 
head of the Louisa railroad at Charlottesville, in order to reach the 
eastern end of the proposed railway at Covington. No reasonable in¬ 
dividual, who is well informed as to the facts and circumstances here sta¬ 
ted, will withhold a ready assent from these propositions. The route 
of the proposed railway being almost exclusively through barren and de¬ 
solate mountains, furnishing little or no way travel , and the road be¬ 
ing almost exclusively dependent on the through travel , it follows, as 
certainly as a cause can produce an effect, that measures would speedily 
be taken with a view to the extension of the railway itself beyond its 
first termini, both eastward and westward ; or what would be of equi¬ 
valent effect, to push up, the Louisa railroad to Covington, on the one 
side, and to provide another railroad from Loup creek shoals to Guy¬ 
andotte on the other. That a combined line in the one form, or the 
other, covering the whole route from Richmond to Guyandotte, is con¬ 
templated by the advocates of the Covington bill, as an ultimate ob¬ 
ject, will probably not be denied. Indeed, the matter is now so well 
understood by the whole community, that the existence of such a de¬ 
sign may be assumed as “a fixed fact.” 

It results then, that the $ 7,500,000, to be expended on the railway 
from Covington to the falls, and the mischief which this railroad, 
would Wa^to our great central improvement, are not yet the limit of 
the responsibilities, which this measure is to bring upon the state. 
Still more money is to be forthcoming from the public crib, and still 
further mischief is to be brought upon the line. 

Let it be assumed that these extensions will be made, not altogether 
on state account, but by the Louisa company, on the eastern side, and 
by a separate new company in the west, and that the state, when 
called upon for assistance, (which she most assuredly would be,) would 
be let off with a subscription of fths. What addition would these 
subscriptions make to the $ 7,500,000, already invested in the Cov¬ 
ington road ? 

Large parts of this combined line, not having yet been accurately 
measured or surveyed, it is impossible to do more than to make an ap¬ 
proximate estimate. Such an estimate, however, will throw sufficient 
light for the present upon the subject to be considered. 

Putting the distance, from the head of the Louisa railroad to Cov¬ 
ington, by the line which might be selected, at 100 miles, and the dis¬ 
tance from Loup creek shoals to Guyandotte, also at 100 miles, and 
counting the cost of a double track road, with heavy rails, (so as to 






48 


admit of heavy engines and high speed,) at the sum of $40,000 per 
mile, inclusive of the necessary tunnelf through the Blue Ridge, then 
the cost of the roads would be $ 8,000,000, and the state’s part of this 
capital would be $ 4,800,000.. This last sum, added to the $ 7,500,- 
000, expended upon the Covington railway, would make a grand ag¬ 
gregate ultimate outlay by the state, of twelve million three hundred 
thousand dollars. 

Such are the ultimate fiscal responsibilities on the part of the state, 
which hang upon the question of the passage of the bill, authorizing 
the proposed railway on state account from. Covington to Loup creek 
shoals. 

To this we have still to add yet further damage and mischief to the 
central improvement. 

If the course of events should take the direction here suggested, in 
regard to the extensions of the Covington railroad, the result would be 
a portage, not merely of 150 miles from Covington to Loup creek 
shoals, but a portage of 250 miles, between Covington and the Ohio 
river. This railway would, to support itself, necessarily look to 
freights as well as to passengers, with a view to sustain itself, and to 
make a dividend on its stock. With such a rival, heading the central 
line below the Guyandotte shoals, and some distance below the mouth 
of Kanawha, and that too by a much shorter route, adequate motives 
to make a detached improvement of high order, on the Kanawha river, 
and in the channel of the Ohio, between Point Pleasant and Guyan¬ 
dotte, would no longer exist with the James river and Kanawha com¬ 
pany. Harassed by such opposition, and discouraged by defeat, it is 
to be apprehended, that the company would ask to be released frqm 
its chartered duties in the west, and to transfer its works in that quar¬ 
ter, for a fair equivalent, to the state. Thus, this great company, 
around which, the best hopes of Virginia have so long clustered, would 
be broken up and reduced to a mere canal company, between Rich- 
mond and Covington. 

We should then have aline of improvement, consist ing^f250 miles 
of railway, and 250 of canal. Upon the former part of the route the 
expense of transportation could not reasonably be expected to -fall be¬ 
low three cents per ton per mile ; whilst upon the canal, burthened with 
the present high tolls, upon a limited trade, in order to meet the heavy 
interest-debt of the company, it would scarcely prove to be less in 
amount. With a line through our state, transporting at three cents per 
ton*per mile, it would be impossible to compete with the rival lines ; 
the stock would be unprofitable; the work a failure; and the millions 
invested by the state,'incapable of being drawn back and employed for 
the benefit of other sections standing in need of improvement. In 
illustration of the decided inferiority of an improvement of the mixed 
character here described, to a continuous water line, such as is contem¬ 
plated by the James river and Kanawha company, and of the immea¬ 
surable benefits which would result to the state from the latter, a full, 
and it is believed a conclusive exposition, is to be found in the supple¬ 
mental report of the first president of the James river and Kanawha 
company, annexed to his 11th annual report. 






